and is it strictly necessary to feature bbc celebrity dancing show on bbc news? notwithstanding which looks increasingly like a health emergency over the omicron variant of covid—19, the government has faced a legion of difficulties this week. on tuesday night, there was the biggest backbench rebellion of boris johnson's premiership of the covid—19 regulations. the conservatives lost the by election with the seat that they've held for more than 20 years of the majority of 23,000. and details of parties around westminster last december continued to swirl around. here is hell and reporting on sunday with the latest revelations about what went on in downing street a year ago. it's the christmas quiz the downing street said was virtual but it's not opposing very real questions for the prime minister. pictured here in hosting a round of the 15th of december last year. on the 15th of december last year. on the video call, number ten staff, some dialling in from home and others apparently gathered in groups elsewhere in the building. at the time, and/or socialising

this is bbc news. the headlines — the number of new covid infections across britain has reached a record high for the second day running. more than 88,000 new cases have been confirmed. it follows warnings about the speed of the new strain�*s spread. turkey has cut its interest rate for the fourth time in as many months, sending its currency tumbling to new lows. president erdogan said turkey's destiny would not be determined by speculators. the defence in the sex abuse trial of ghislaine maxwell in new york has called its first witness. cimberly espinosa, a former assistant to the british socialite, described her as fair but demanding. thousands of people are seeking refuge from a super typhoon which is battering the southern philippines. the red cross said it was one of the strongest typhoons this year and warned that climate change was making storms more ferocious.

now on bbc news, review 2021, we remember. prince philip, una stubbs, charlie watts, sarah harding, captain sir tom moore, christopher plummer and jimmy greaves. just a few of those whose lives are celebrated in this year's programme. # we're all going on a summer holiday...# why doesn't he stop honking his horn? there's plenty of room to park! we are not going on a london bus if that is what you had in mind! well, you're not going to get very i far on your holiday in this thing. i we're not on our way on holiday. we're going to an engagement! i don't wish to impose upon you. my pleasure. in that case, you might as well do the laundry while you are about here, and dust the furniture. boys! you've got another one! what? goodness, here? i think i might! applause i say, he forgot to pay. i wasn't a trained dancer. i didn't get any- lessons or anything. my dad was a barber, _ but he would come home and start... and i copied him, but ii could always tap dance. # raindrops keep falling on my head. # and just like the guy whose feet

this is bbc news. i'm rich preston. our top stories: concern across europe as extra measures are announced to combat the growing threat of the omicron variant. as cases jump sharply in the us, the country's top health official warns of the risks of not getting jabbed. clearly, unvaccinated individuals are really at a higher risk of serious involvement, including hospitalisation. british socialite ghislaine maxwell, who's on trial on sex trafficking charges, tells the us court she won't be giving evidence. more pressure on borisjohnson, the man appointed to investigate whether government christmas parties were held during lockdown last christmas has stepped down from the role after it emerged a party was held in his own department. hundreds of thousands displaced and at least 12 dead

fergus walsh, bbc news. fergus walsh, bbc news. health officials say on average, one person with covid is now spreading it to between three and five other people. the uk's latest covid figures show there were 88,376 new cases in the latest 24—hour period, nearly 10,000 more than yesterday. the average over the past week is now more than 63,000 new cases every day. the number of people in hospital with covid is 7,579. 146 deaths were recorded, that's of people who died within 28 days of a positive test. 115 covid—related deaths were recorded on average every day in the past week. 0n vaccinations just over 537,000 people a day had boosters on average in the past seven days, bringing the total to more than 25.4 million people. london is currently being hit hardest by the wave of new infections. case rates in the capital are the highest and rising the fastest. hospital admissions are also on the rise too. with so many people becoming infected at the same time, there are concerns about staffing levels, not least in the nhs. our heal

this is bbc news. the headlines — the uk has registered a record number of new coronavirus infections. more than 78,500 cases were reported in the past 24 hours, the highest figure since the pandemic began. germany's new chancellor said his country would defend itself against a violent minority opposed to coronavirus vaccinations. olaf scholz�*s comments come as police conducted a series of raids in the city of dresden in saxony. president biden has been inspecting the devastation caused by tornadoes in the state of kentucky. he's promised federal aid to rebuild communities. at least 74 people died in the state and 14 others elsewhere.

you're watching bbc news. in bbc news it is the travel show. they're exploring japan to find out how exhibition delete my accessibility has improved in the wake of this year's paralympics in tokyo. oh, wow. look at the size of this place. this is tokyo stadium and it was home to the football, the rugby, and the pentathlon during the olympics. and i'm glad to finally be here. japan's delayed summer of sport finally got under way in 2021. my name's steve brown and i was supposed to come over the paralympic coverage. not being able to make it out was a huge blow. the whole thing about sport, it's not just about watching it, it's about feeling it, that immersive experience. before i was a presenter, i was captain of the london 2012 rugby wheelchair team. and when i was in hospital sport was what got me out. it was definitely the building blocks to the person that i have become. tokyo holds a special place in paralympic history. it was all the way back at the 1964 games that the term paralympic was first used. but being disabled injapan hasn't alway

lucy grey, bbc news. recorded cases are also rising sharply in the united states, while hospitalisations due to covid have jumped by 45% in the last month. the us infectious diseases expert, dr anthony fauci, says the high transmissibility of the omicron variant means it could cause many additional deaths, and he's leading calls for americans to get their booster shots. we are in the midst — in the situation where we are now facing a very important delta surge and we're looking over our shoulder at an oncoming omicron surge. clearly, unvaccinated individuals are really at a high risk of serious involvement, including hospitalisation. the fully vaccinated are doing much better off. the optimum protection is fully vaccinated, plus a boost. so the bottom line of what we've been telling you all along, it is critical to get vaccinated. if you are vaccinated, it is critical for optimum protection to get boosted. well, earlier i spoke to dr jeremy faust, who's an emergency physician at brigham and women's hosp

theo leggett, bbc news. now on bbc news... our world in the summer of 2014, is militants swept across northern iraq. gunfire. in sinjar, they would go on to commit a massacre, taking thousands of young women like amsha captive. almost seven years later, much of the region remains in ruins and thousands remain missing. despite everything, amsha chose to remain in sinjar. now every day, she confronts the deadly legacy left hidden by herformer captors. on the 3rd of august 2014, is militants invaded sinjar, homeland of the yazidi people. gunfire. the so—called islamic state regarded this religious minority as infidels, reserving for them their most brutal treatment. is militants dragged amsha and her brother from their car and took them to a nearby base. dog barks. for amsha, it was the start of 11 months of torture. during their occupation of sinjar, the so—called islamic state took over 6000 yazidis captive, forcing boys into training camps and girls and young women into slavery. five years on, amsha now lives back at home

this is bbc news. the headlines. the queues forjabs continue — almost three quarters of a million people had their boosters yesterday — a record number hospital admissions are rising slowly but in london — where cases are rising the fastest — hospital staff in this icu are feeling the pressure the chancellor is cutting short his us trip and is held talks with leaders in the uk about the solution for hospitality and other affected sectors. �* ,., for hospitality and other affected sectors. ~ ., ., ., ' sectors. about a quarter of £1 billion of— sectors. about a quarter of £1 billion of cash _ sectors. about a quarter of £1 billion of cash sitting - sectors. about a quarter of £1 billion of cash sitting with - sectors. about a quarter of £1. billion of cash sitting with local authorities that is been provided by government to support those businesses who need it in my immediate to make sure that that money gets to those businesses as quickly as possible. the omicron wave has prompted france to shut its

hugh pym, bbc news. the rules about who can get a booster vaccine — and how — vary across the four uk nations. in a minute we'll hear from our correspondents in wales, scotland and northern ireland — but first here is sophie hutchinson in england boosterjabs are available for everyone aged 18 and over, as long as you had your second dose at least three months ago, and there are some walk—in appointments, but you have to be prepared to queue. 0therwise, anyone aged 30 and over can book their boosterjab online, from two months after their second dose, although the online system did go down earlier today when more than 100,000 people tried to book their jabs. but, from wednesday, that online system will also be opened up to anyone aged 18 and over. the aim is to give every adult in england the chance to book a booster by the end of the year, and that is a big challenge. to get yours go to the nhs england website and look for "book a coronavirus vaccination." in wales, you have to wait for an invitat

drew savage, bbc news. to be talked about, savage, bbc news. to be talked about. you _ savage, bbc news. to be talked about, you know, _ savage, bbc news. to be talked about, you know, i— savage, bbc news. to be talked about, you know, i chance - savage, bbc news. to be talked about, you know, i chance at. savage, bbc news. to be talked | about, you know, i chance at the savage, bbc news. to be talked - about, you know, i chance at the top four, it's a big turnaround for us. look, we have got a long way to go, we have got to try to maintain it. we have to get our standards back from our performances are not close to where they should be, but hopefully we can get ready and be like the good teams and get better in the second half of the season. crystal palace's second win in four games has taken them into the top ten... a place the team they beat can only dream of. 0dsonne edouard had given palace the lead against norwich from a penalty, before two further goals before half time from jean—philippe mateta and jeffrey schlupp gave them a comfor

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. cases of the omi—cron variant of coronavirus are surging in south africa as the first data emerges on how effective vaccines are against it it's possible that the omicron variant can cause infections even in previously vaccinated people however if they develop on the mild illness that means that vaccines are still providing protection. prosecutors in michigan charge the parents of the teenager accused of a deadly school shooting with involuntary manslaughter. "a day of shame for pakistan" imran khan condemns a mob which attacked and killed a sri lankan man accused of blasphemy. pope francis uses his visit to cyprus to liken the fate

alison holt, bbc news. the singer billie eilish has described how she suffered nightmares after being exposed to "abusive" pornography from the age of 11. in a radio interview, the 19—year—old said she is now "devastated" to reflect on her exposure to the content. eilish said the experience led her to "not say no to things that were not good" when she began having sexual relationships. a5 nazanin zaghari—ratcliffe and her husband and daughter prepare to spend a sixth christmas apart, a new song has been released today to keep the family in the public eye. it's by the eighties pop band the christians. they've reworked a single first released in 1991 to draw attention to the plight of the british journalistjohn mccarthy, then being held hostage by militants in beirut. our correspondent, caroline hawley, reports. # times like these, i sit and wonder # lord, it really can't be right... # it is three decades since the christians last recorded this for a british hostage, then as man don't cry. now it is for

this is bbc news. i'm sally bundock with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. a federal disaster is declared in kentucky, after the largest outbreak of tornadoes in american history leaves at least 90 dead, across six states. borisjohnson orders an acceleraton of the covid booster programme, to combat a "tidal wave" of omicron. the public are asked to start working from home again. the notorious nigerian crime sydicate with links to more than 10 nation. we have the results of a special 12 month investigation. we meet the scientist trying to create nuclear fusion on an industrial estate in the south of england. max verstappen clinches his first formula one world championship, beating lewis hamilton on the last lap of the final race. and the uk's intelligence and cyber agency issues a christmas csard quiz for kids. we'll find out how hard it really is. hello and welcome to the programme. we begin in kentucky where us presidentjoe biden has declared a major federal disaster aft

hugh pym, bbc news. there are some differences in the way the booster programme is being implemented in the four nations of the uk and the new restrictions likely to be brought in. in a moment we'll hear from our correspondents in wales, scotland and northern ireland, but first here's sophie hutchinson on the latest rules in england. in england, boosterjabs are available for everyone aged 18 and over, as long as you've had your second dose at least three months ago. and there are some walk—in appointments, but you have to be prepared to queue. otherwise, anyone aged 30 or over can book their boosterjab online from two months after their second dose. although the online system did go down earlier today when more than 100,000 people tried to book theirjabs. but from wednesday, that online system will also be opened up to anyone aged 18 and over. the aim is to give every adult in england the chance to book a booster by the end of the year. that's a big challenge. to get yours, go to the nhs england websit

this is bbc news — the headlines. the hospitality sector welcomes the decision not to impose further covid restrictions in england before the new year describing it as a lifeline, but ministers say further restrictions hinges on the number of hospitalisations. at the moment, we don't think that the evidence supports any more interventions beyond what we've done. but obviously we've got to keep it under very close review, because if it is the case that we start to see a big increase in hospitalisations then we would need to act further — and that's why we have to keep it under close review. the french government call their new covid measures "proportionate", as rules for remote working and public gatherings come into force next week. more young children are being forced work on the streets, as afghanistan's humanitarian crisis deepens, we'll bring you a special report from kabul.

this is bbc news. our top stories: american prosecutors charge the parents of a teenager accused of a massacre at a school, saying they share responsibility. i will reiterate today that gun ownership is a right and with that right comes great responsibility. the first data on the omicron variant of covid suggests vaccines are less effective at stopping it spreading, but they do make the symptoms less serious. it's possible that the omicron variant is able to overcome and cause infections even in previously vaccinated people. however, if they develop only mild illness, that means that the vaccines are still providing protection. scientist say they can now use gene—editing technology to determine the sex of mice, creating female or male—only litters.

now in bbc news is| headlines. now in bbc news is becoming andy. falling over myself. that's all right. my name is andi bernabe. this journey didn't start when i found out what the word transgender that was. honestly, it started when i was born. coming to terms with my identity felt like trying to deny a part of myself that i thought would never be reality. i kind of felt like a someone put a cap on a volcano and i wasjust sitting on top of that volcano, not trying to let that cap go. but in the end the volcano exploded. i want to be referred to as andi from now on. i was just mostly scared of the people around me, what they would think. i'm so happy! after the volcano exploded, all these flowers and trees and life flourished because the ground was, like, re—nourished. but, you know, it's not all peaches and cream, sunshine and lollipops. things didn't go as planned. i can't live like this any more. fear really does do something to a person. this is my story. ah! this is who i am. i actually was born in queens, new york. i was there for five years until we moved stra

andrew plant, bbc news. the cost of living has risen at its fastest rate for ten years with inflation at 5.1% last month. the office for national statistics says a surge in transport and energy costs drove the increase. our economics editor faisal islam has more. it is not just it is notjust here in cardiff that inflation is reaching ever dizzy heights. across the nation prices are rising at their fastest rate in decades, driven by record petrol prices, massive spikes in gas and electricity, and now clothing and food price rises too, raising questions about how quickly it will come back down—to—earth. the official rate of inflation reached 5.1% in november, the highest level since 2011 and well over the double rate targeted by the bank of england. the older price index measure, still used by some government departments and to set some bills, reached 7.1%, the highest level in over 30 years. this reflects the every day experience of those at the cardiff christmas market, with widespread price pressures an

now on bbc news, review 2021, the royal year. our royal correspondent sarah campbell reflects on the death of prince philip as she looks back on 12 months of the most significant events for the royal family.

this is bbc news. the headlines at apm: another 86 cases of omicron are confirmed in the uk as the government defends the decision to re—introduce pre—departure covid tests from tuesday. we want to make sure we take those steps earlier precisely to avoid the bigger disruption to travel and the economy. remembering arthur labinjo—hughes — a vigil brings the solihull street where he lived to a standstill as a national review is launched into his murder. business secretary kwasi kwarteng has visited the north east of england where power cuts from storm arwen have lasted more than a week. residents say it's unacceptable. one of the big issues we have is the response of the company in trying to identify people who are affected by this, especially vulnerable people. pope francis holds a mass at megaron concert hall in greece after visiting a migrant camp on the island of lesbos. sam kerr for chelsea, what a goal! to seal the fa cup victory. chelsea are fa cup champions after beating arsenal at wemble

nikki fox, bbc news. joining me now is jay crawford, who has a spinal cord injury which impacts his walking — he needs a personal assistant, but can't find one. what does your pa do for you and your wife? 50 what does your pa do for you and our wife? ., what does your pa do for you and your wife?— what does your pa do for you and ourwife? ., . ~ , your wife? so our current pa support service with — your wife? so our current pa support service with having _ your wife? so our current pa support service with having a _ your wife? so our current pa support service with having a young - your wife? so our current pa support service with having a young family, l service with having a young family, so i have a spinal—cord injury myself and my wife also has a mobility issue and a mental health condition and we have a child aged 3 1/2, so really for us it is everything, from the school run 1st thing in the morning, packed lunches, getting him to school on time, picking him up, but also managing our personal

dominic hughes, bbc news. the headlines on bbc news. the couple who killed arthur labinjo—hughes have beenjailed, his father for 21 years and his partnerfor life in prison for a minimum of 29 years. thejudge said arthur was subjected to the �*most unimaginable suffering'. a review of the disorder that marred the euro 2020 final between england and italy injuly has painted a picture of "ticketless, drunken and drugged up thugs" storming wembley and endangering life. the energy regulator ofgem launches a review into the response to storm arwen — as repair works continue, one week on. we're looking at a packed weekend with the packed fa cup with plenty of other fa cup action on the way too. we're also reflecting on the findings of baroness casey's review into the disturbances at the final of euro 2020 which found a collective failing almost lead to fatalities on the day of the final at wembley. it has been labelled a day of national shame. that is all to come and sports day at 630. next up to come and sports day at 630. next up on bb

now on bbc news, our world. six years ago, amsha escaped from captivity in northern iraq, after being held by is militants. today, she is risking her life to clear her homeland of unexploded mines. in the summer of 2014, is militants swept across northern iraq. gunfire in sinjar, they would go on to commit a massacre, taking thousands of young women like amsha captive. almost seven years later, much of the region remains in ruins and thousands remain missing. despite everything, amsha chose to remain in sinjar. now every day, she confronts the deadly legacy left hidden by herformer captors. on the 3rd of august 2014, is militants invaded sinjar, homeland of the yazidi people. gunfire the so—called islamic state regarded this religious minority as infidels, reserving for them their most brutal treatment. is militants dragged amsha and her brother from their car and took them to a nearby base. dog barks for amsha, it was the start of 11 months of torture. during their occupation of sinjar, the so—called islami

good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. the uk's chief medical adviser has warned that the previous maximum daily number of people admitted to hospital with coronavirus could be exceeded. that was 4,500 seen injanuary. speaking to mp5, professor chris whitty said that the present wave of the omicron variant was likely to peak quite fast — but that it could go down more quickly than previous peaks. health officials have warned that nhs services may be badly affected by staff illness as omicron spreads rapidly — and that they are trying to keep routine hospital services going as much as possible. here's our health correspondent dominic hughes. with the number of new covid—19 infection is surging, how will the nhs and social care cope? with a highly infectious new variant, one of the biggest concerns is what will happen when large numbers of staff fall ill, while at the same time hospital admissions are climbing. we will hospital admissions are climbing. - will keep as much of our routine service is getting as possible,

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caroline davies, bbc news. details of a series of brutal mass killings of civilians by the military in myanmar have been uncovered by the bbc. the united nations says the military�*s actions point to crimes against humanity. it's thought the killings were a collective punishment for attacks by militia groups in the region demanding a return to democracy following a coup in february. earlier this year, four villages in kenee township in central myanmar were targeted over a period of a few weeks injuly. this report by rebecca henschke contains some distressing images and details from the very beginning. shouting dog barks, child screams this girl is grieving over her grandfather's body. it's distressing to see. there are clear signs of torture. when the myanmar military entered their village in the kenee township, she fled. her grandfather stayed, believing his age would protect him. more bodies were uncovered close to where her grandfather was found. 12 in total. some were buried in shallow mass graves. the mi

this is bbc news. i'm simon pusey. our top stories: save the children condemns the military in myanmar, for the deaths of 38 people found in burnt—out vehicles in kayah state. queen elizabeth speaks about her memories of prince philip in herfirst christmas day message since his death. that mischievous enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as it was when i first set eyes on him. the pope uses his christmas message to highlight the tragedies in yemen and syria, which he says are being passed over in silence. ..and lift off. the world's most powerful telescope is launched into space — to offer unprecedented images of the universe. and after three months of spewing lava and ash, the volcanic eruption on la palma, finally comes to an end. hello and welcome to bbc news. the international charity, save the children, has condemned what it called an attack by the burmese military that killed at least 38 people, including women and children. the charity said the military had reportedly forced people fro

this is bbc news. i'm annita mcveigh. the headlines: the country's chief medical officer says the uk could surpass previous records of people admitted to hospital with covid—19 and warns of major challenges in the days ahead. a lot of people simultaneously fall ill and be unwell, isolating or caring for others at the same time across the whole economy. so that side of things, i also do think we need to take quite seriously. the chancellor will hold talks with representatives of the hospitality sector, who are asking for further government support to cope with the challenges of the omicron variant. the queen has cancelled her traditional pre—christmas family party next week. sources suggest it could have put too many people's christmas arrangements at risk. coming up at 2:30pm, we'll be answering your questions on how to manage covid risks over the christmas period. you can get in touch with us using the #bbcyourquestions, or email at yourquestions@bbc.co.uk. uk tourists are to be banned from france

now on bbc news, review 2021, we remember. prince philip, una stubbs, charlie watts, sarah harding, captain sir tom moore, christopher plummer and jimmy greaves. just a few of those whose lives are celebrated in this year's programme. # we're all going on a summer holiday...# why doesn't he stop honking his horn? there's plenty of room to park! we're not going on a london bus if that's what you had in mind! well, you're not going to get very i far on your holiday in this thing. i we're not on our way on holiday. we're going to an engagement! i don't wish to impose upon you. my pleasure. in that case, you might as well do the laundry while you're about it, and dust the furniture. boys! you've got another one! what? goodness, here? i think i might! applause. i say, he forgot to pay. i wasn't a trained dancer. i didn't go to any. lessons or anything. my dad was a barber, _ but he'd come home and start... and i copied him, but ii could always tap dance. # raindrops keep falling on my head # and just like the guy whose feet are too

this is bbc news. i'm simon pusey. our top stories: british scientists warn that two doses of vaccine offer little protection against the omicron variant, although boosters do cut the risk of serious illness. the wikileaks founder julian assange can be extradited to stand trial in the us according to the latest legal ruling in britain. the us supreme court leaves a controversial texas law banning most abortions in place. president biden says he's "very concerned". britain's foreign secretary warns russia of severe economic consequences if it invades ukraine ahead of a g7 meeting this weekend. # hey, hey, we're the monkees... mike nesmith, singer and guitarist with the 60s band the monkees, has died at the age of 78. and we meet the woman behind some of netflix's most binge—worthy original programming,

marc cieslak, bbc news. comedy is — obviously — about making people laugh — but what if the audience finds the joke offensive rather than funny? the actor and comedian dame maureen lipman says comedy is on the verge of being wiped out because comedians are so worried about offending people and the impact that could have on their careers that they are just avoiding controversial subjects. it's all about the so—called cancel culture as our culture editor katie razzall reports. i'm depressed and suicidal. guess where i'm working? it's stand—up comedy night in manchester. new act faizan is telling jokes that some could find offensive. i was working at manchester airport in aviation security... laughter. a depressed, suicidal muslim at the airport... but who decides what's funny, and what will offend? and is this tension a reflection of what's happening in wider society, too? comedians are very paranoid that they might word something the wrong way and then that's out there forever. and then they are can

samir hussein, bbc news, new york. the turkish lira has tumbled to an all—time low, hitting record depths against the dollar and losing nearly 30% in value in the last month alone. annual inflation in turkey has also risen by over 21%. the currency has been in freefall as president erdogan continues to support interest rate cuts despite surging inflation. concern is also rising that the country's central bank will cut rates even further later this week. joining me now is guido cozzi, professor of macroeconomics, university of st gallen. what is causing the currency crisis in turkey? certainly, the overall uncertainty of monetary policy because we have seen quite a massive set of replacement in the position in the central bank and in the government so in this general situation of turbulence and inflationary pressures everywhere and certainty about interest rates everywhere, adding another level of leadership uncertainty, it is certainly, uncertainty, it is certainly, uncertainty is certainly implying that the financia

tim muffett, bbc news. you are watching bbc news. you can reach me on twitter — i'm @lukwesaburak goodbye. the run up to the new year is going to be really exceptionally mild, near record breaking in fact. and notjust on one or two days but really quite a prolonged spell of very mild weather, some four days or so. it's not really going to cool off until around the third or 4th of january. but this is the map showing the warmth in the atmosphere. if you look at the subtropical atlantic here, just to the west of the canaries, south of the azores, there is a current of warm air that is spreading in our direction and spread across western parts of europe and then deeper into more central and eastern parts of europe. in england, for example, this is how mild or warm it could actually get, 17 degrees. compare that to the average of eight celsius. now, at the moment, it's not quite so mild. in fact, in scotland with the clear skies in some eastern areas quite a nippy start to the day and not desperately cold for this time of the year. but

hugh pym, bbc news. cases are also rising sharply in the us, by over 40% to a 7—day average of 123,000 new recorded infections a day. hospitalisations due to covid have also jumped by 45% in the last month. the us infectious diseases expert dr anthony fauci says the high transmissibility of the 0micron variant means it could cause many additional deaths and he's leading calls for americans to get their booster shots. we are in the situation where we are now facing a very important delta surge and we're looking over our shoulder at an oncoming 0micron surge. clearly, unvaccinated individuals are really at a higher risk of serious involvement, including hospitalisation. the fully vaccinated are doing much better off. the optimum protection is fully vaccinated plus a boost. so the bottom line of what we have been telling you all along, it is critical to get vaccinated. if you are vaccinated, it is critical for optimum protection to get boosted. the british socialite ghislaine maxwell, who's facing sex tra

this is bbc news. the headlines... new figures show that covid—related absences in acute nhs trusts in england went up by more than a0 % during christmas week. in his new year's message, borisjohnson has urged people in the uk to take a covid test before celebrating tonight. and the party is already under way in new zealand — this is the scene in auckland as it sees in the new year. in other news — firefighters are battling one of the most destructive ever wildfires in the us state of colorado — more than 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate. the ymca has been offering shelter to families left homeless. it is hundreds and hundreds of people that have come through and that number is now about 600 homes destroyed in this area. "relieved and grateful" — the victims of ghislaine maxwell have been speaking after she was convicted of grooming girls to be abused byjeffery epstein — her family say they can't accept the verdict. joe biden has again told president vladimir putin that the us and its allies will

this is bbc news. the headlines. queen elizabeth speaks about her personal grief over the death of her husband prince philip in her christmas day message, saying there was "one familiar laugh missing", amid the continuing impact of the pandemic. a 19—year—old man has been arrested on suspicion of trespassing windsor castle grounds, the official residence of queen elizabeth. members of the royal family have been informed. in his christmas message, pope francis highlighted the tragedies in yemen and syria which he said are being passed over in silence. the archbishop of canterbury justin welby has called for compassion towards refugees in his christmas sermon. the world's most powerful telescope has blasted into space, soon to offer unprecedented images of the universe. and the former england and yorkshire captain ray illingworth has died at the age of 89. now on bbc news, review 2021, the year in science. it was a year shaped by the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic but with significant developments in

now on bbc news, now on bbc news — for decades, the world's most famous male bbc news, porn star, ronjeremy, allegedly groped, assaulted and raped women. ginger banks, one of the first adult performers to shine a spotlight on ronjeremy�*s behaviour, speaks about her struggle to get the industry to take action. and a warning that this programme contains sexual content and some upsetting scenes. i want to tell you about a man called ronjeremy. he would probably say that he's the greatest porn star who ever lived. he's starred in more than 2000 adult films, and he's also kind of a mainstream celebrity. the one and only ronjeremy... it's ronjeremy! ron jeremy, very famous pornographic thespian. ronjeremy, i am your biggest fan, it is an honour... and now, he has been accused of rape and sexual assault by dozens of women, stretching back decades. ronjeremy has been indicted on 33 counts, among them rape and other sexual assault charges. now, ronjeremy has maintained his innocence all of these allegations... i want to tell you about how he was arrested and how he came to be in prison awaiting t

jimmy lumsden, bbc news. ~ .., . bbc news. when we conceded the goal, it was challenging _ bbc news. when we conceded the goal, it was challenging for _ bbc news. when we conceded the goal, it was challenging for us. _ bbc news. when we conceded the goal, it was challenging for us. i _ bbc news. when we conceded the goal, it was challenging for us. i was - it was challenging for us. i was really proud about the team, doing this difficult period, we stick together. we pulled our sleeves up and we accepted the fight and then we get awarded with the third goal, but i think through the game, we went through a lot and that game will give us confidence for the rest of the season. three days after going out of the europa league, leicester showed why newcastle might struggle to stay in the premier league. they won 4—0 at the king power stadium. a youri tielemans penalty put leicester ahead — before patson daka made it 2—0. tielemans got his second of the afternoon in the closing stages to seal the win, but there was still time f

fergus walsh, bbc news. covid infections are surging across europe — with both the uk and france reporting new, single—day records on thursday. italy and spain are the latest countries to introduce increased restrictions in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. our europe correspondent nick beake has this report. the festive message to spaniards this year — wear a mask, even outside. across europe, governments are issuing health warnings rather than glad tidings. at a time when families come together, the advice is to keep your distance. belgium is now inviting children as young as five to get vaccinated. covid cases here have been falling for the past ten days, but cinemas and theatres are set to close, although pubs will stay open. it's really a political choice that is not really supported by scientific. i feel like there are rules, but no—one really cares. it helps me to study that - all the nightclubs are closed! exhausted doctors and nurses are pleading with the public to follow the rule

this is bbc news with me, ben brown. here _ this is bbc news with me, ben brown. here are - _ this is bbc news with me, ben brown. here are the - me, ben brown. here are the headlines. archbisop desmond tutu, nobel peace prize laureate and veteran of south africa's struggle against apartheid — has died at the age of 90. after nelson mandela became president, tutu headed the truth and reconciliation commission, investigating the crimes of the apartheid era. new coronavirus restrictions come into force in scotland, wales and northern ireland — as the uk's devolved nations try to limit the spread of the omicron variant. england is waiting for more data. omicron is causing chaos in the airline industry — 6,000 flights cancelled around the world over the christmas weekend. nearly 1,000 planes were grounded just in the united states on christmas day. police in britain have arrested a 19—year—old man who broke into the grounds of windsor castle, where the queen is spending christmas. now on bbc news, reporting from the climate frontlines. for the past two decad

faisal islam, bbc news, in cardiff. janet mui is investment director at the wealth managers brewin dolphin here in london. what are you expecting to hear today? good morning, victoria, thanks for having me. we are not expecting the bank of england to raise interest rates today, primarily because of the omicron uncertainty. so basically inflation is at a decade high and the labour market is pretty strong, so it is not because of omicron, we would look at them planning to raise interest rates, but because of omicron i think they have to busche back until sometime next year instead. the bank of england has often adopted this sort of wait—and—see approach, but what was often described as transitory inflation is clearly not going away. is there another way to deal with inflation without killing companies struggling with staff shortages as a result of omicron and also supply chain problems that happening globally? it problems that happening aloball ? , ., problems that happening globally?— problems that happening alobal

hugh pym, bbc news. the uk government is relaxing immigration rules so that social care workers from abroad can help to alleviate staff shortages in britain. the temporary measures are expected to take effect in the new year and will be in place for at least 12 months. care providers are experiencing high vacancy rates and turnover, and pressure on staffing is being made worse by the recent spread of 0micron. of course the uk isn't the only country where omicron is spreading fast. on thursday, france reported a new record high in the number of daily infections. and in spain, where the wearing of facemasks outdoors is compulsory again, the 73,000 cases recorded on thursday represented the third consecutive high in as many days. so a curfew will be in force from tonight in catalonia in northeastern spain, where residents are banned from leaving their homes between one o'clock and six in the morning. dr quique bassat is a research professor at the barcelona institute for global health, with more on what the

fiona lamdin, bbc news. the best of the weather has been across more south—eastern parts of the uk with some sunshine, but there is a cold wind blowing. we have also got some wetter weather further north, notjust rain but also snow, typically across more southern parts of scotland, developing in northern england is well over the higher ground. chilly end to the day. more showers feeding into northern ireland, wales and the south—west. they will continue over night. the waiter went there tends to move away from scotland, moving further south into england and parts of wales. again, snow over the higher ground in northern england, where we could see heavy rain to lower levels stop more of a wind rowing overnight to keep a frost away, except we have a covering of snow over a fire ground. heading into tomorrow, we still have wind coming in off the north sea to bring cloud and rain for a while. that rain does ease. further west, the cloud dens and bricks. more sunshine. the wind breaks as well, so is going to

this is bbc news. the headlines. the uk records over 78 thousand new coronavirus cases — the highest daily figure of the pandemic england's chief medical officer says the numbers of hospitalised covid patients are starting to rise — and warns of very difficult weeks ahead. this is a really serious threat at the moment. there are several things we do not know but all the things that we do know are bad. a sharp rise in the cost of living — as the price of energy, fuel and clothing push inflation to a 10 year high. the woman who murdered 16—month old star hobson is sentenced to life — while star's mother is jailed for 8 years forfailing to protect her daughter. and arise sir lewis — he may have lost his formula one title — but lewis hamilton has gained a knighthood hello and welcome to bbc news. this evening we've heard an update on the booster vaccine rollout from the prime minister in a downing street briefing — on the day that uk has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases on record. in the l

anna holligan, bbc news. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: last minute checks and tests as the countdown to new year celebrations begins. 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 will 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 0xfordshire 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! big ben bongs this is bbc news. the latest headlines: more than 500 homes have been destroyed and thousands of people evacuated as wildfires spread through colorado. president biden has again told russia's president putin that the us will "respond decisively" if russia invades ukraine. israeli officials have approved a fourth dose of t

now on bbc news, your world: life at 50 degrees centigrade. in episode three, we see how lives have been dramatically altered in iraq and the gulf by global warming. if you don't live here, and you're not affected by it every day, you forget that it's happening. but it is. i'm already hot. i'm not even outside. normally, i like to start my days off with a dog walk. come on, lily. we need to make it super early so that my little fur baby can walk on the ground without burning himself. are your paws 0k? i think it was around 56 this year, as supposedly hot as it got, but it feels like 60! yeah, it's hot! did you get dehydrated? it sucks the life out of you. that's it, you're like this... and then that's it, you're just like this. let's go home, it's out. i'm done, girl. today, i have a really special guest. this is... hi, guys. it's hin! i think in my line of work, when i'm doing a lot of content creation, i can see when the heat does affect me. when you do have the best light on a day to be able to film, it is absolutely too hot to do it outsid

marc cieslak, bbc news. dame maureen lipman, one of britain's most distinguished actors, says the fear of being �*cancelled' has left comedy on the verge of being wiped out, with comedians staying away from controversial subjects for fear of not being booked again. and that fear is notjust evident among comedians a poll shared with bbc news suggests that more than half of those surveyed stopped themselves from expressing their views for fear of getting a negative reaction. our culture editor katie razzall has been investigating. i'm depressed and suicidal. guess where i'm working? it's stand—up comedy night in manchester. new act faizan is telling jokes that some could find offensive. i was working at manchester airport in aviation security... laughter. a depressed, suicidal muslim at the airport... but who decides what's funny, and what will offend? and is this tension a reflection of what's happening in wider society, too? comedians are very paranoid that they might word something the wrong way and the

this is bbc news. the headlines — a former police officer who killed a black man in a routine traffic stop has been found guilty of manslaughter at her trial in minneapolis. kimberley potter mistook her handgun for a taser when she shot daunte wright. a uk government study has shown that people who get infected with the omicron strain of covid are far less likely to end up in hospital. but there is concern the boosterjab protection begins to wane after ten weeks. ecuador has made it compulsory for everyone aged five or over to get the coronavirus vaccine in response to the increase in covid infections. only those with a medical justification will be exempt. president putin has asked for an immediate response to his demand for nato to stop expanding to the east to ukraine. he also said he'd initiated high—level talks with the us. now on bbc news, hardtalk�*s review of 2021.