transmission but that will be very restricted and indeed when we talk this is bbc news. i'm tim willcox. the headlines at 8. a christmas like no other. uk wide rules on festive bubbles — up to three households will be able to mix over five days. while the new christmas rules to still offer some clarity, families the virus has not gone away, and still going to leave families up and down the country families will need to make a agonising over what to do. many have been hoping personaljudgement families will need to make a personal judgement about the risk for a get—together but are also families will need to make a personaljudgement about the risk of forming a bubble with or visiting worried about protecting vulnerable or elderly relatives. jon kay has been meeting elderly relatives in the vulnerable. two families in devon. all sam wants for christmas is... christmas. so the decorations are not in vain — it's the only time of the year that with a month to go families up i get everybody together. and down the country it is very important, it is special. can start planning. she is desperate for her children and grandchildren to see the tree i love christmas was it time of the inside and to celebrate year that i get everybody together. like they do every year. it's not the presents, so it is very important. —— it is it's having all my family around me. the only time of the year that i get that is the important thing. everybody together. schools may be open —

but how do they cope when one even if it is only for one day, in five students is at home just to let families get because of covid restrictions? together to enjoy christmas. why should leaseholders have to pay for cladding defects they didn't know about — what about the risks to public mps say the government is wrong. health of people mixing? origin of species — location unknown. i think that's the problem. cambridge university library people cannot go silly. launches a public appeal to find two they have to be sensible notebooks written by charles darwin if they want to do this, otherwise that have been missing for 20 years. we will have a rot injanuary. and coming up, the military dog little gatherings would be ok maybe? who saved the lives of british soldiers in afghanistan is awarded the animal equivalent of the victoria cross. hopefully. it's a big decision for politicians and for families right across the uk. some say it should be up to individuals, not governments. others say it is wrong to prioritise one religious festival. i guess this is what christmas might be like. if this is as good as it gets. naomi and roy are resigned good evening and welcome to bbc news. with just a month to to an online christmas and have go before christmas, decided not to make their usual ministers from england, trips between devon and south wales scotland, wales and northern ireland have agreed on broad uk wide even if it is allowed. rules to allow families i would love to do it, but no, to gather for christmas. i will be advising them

the cabinet office minister michael it is not a good idea, gove said they needed to find especially as there is so much hope a balance between allowing people with the vaccine development. to meet loved ones, and the risks involved. it seems like it is too high risk regardless there was a reminder of what we are allowed to do. today of those risks. how do you react to that, roy? 608 deaths were reported in the latest 2a hour period — the only thing that's missing the highest since may. is the physical contact and if that has to be, now, there may be slight differences across the nations but here's i would rather miss out in 2020 what the new christmas rules if it guaranteed we could do will look like. up to three households will be able what we do next year. to mix in each other homes — but he will miss having fun with his grandkids. that does not include looking a bit santa hospitality settings, and rules claus with the beard. around support bubbles you are not the first are different between nations. one to call me that. families will be able to cross national borders it's all about family, family making memories. to celebrate christmas. tonight sam is hopeful, and these new rules will be building a grotto in the garden limited to a few days either side of christmas. and planning for the christmas in a moment we'll hear she has been dreaming of. from our health editor hugh pym but first... jon kay, bbc news, plymouth. in the past half hour, as we've been hearing any easing downing street has released a video of restrictions over christmas will come with added risks. message of the prime minister, speaking from isolation on the agreement with the four the government's scientific advisers nations of the uk over christmas.

are warning that transmission this year, christmas will be different. of the coronavirus is most likely when people meet indoors. many of us are longing to spend time our science editor david shukman has with family and friends been looking at the latest research irrespective of our on transmission and what we can faith or background. do about it. # rocking around and yet we cannot afford to throw caution to the wind. the christmas tree...# the virus doesn't it's traditionally the time of year for celebrations, know it's christmas but when friends and family crowd and we must all be careful. together and maybe relax so, all four nations of the uk have about covid for a while, the coronavirus can easily spread. and scientists say that scenes agreed that from the 23rd like this can lead to infections. of december from the 27th of december, you will the way with we would normally be able to form a christmas bubble experience christmas, with up to two other households, you a christmas meal for example with friends and families will be able to spend is probably the worst possible time together at home scenario for this type of virus. or go for a walk it will be difficult or go to to physically distance, church, or any other people care for each other. communal service for worship, reflecting the they are not used to that. if you're outdoors, all the evidence ties of kinship across our islands, this agreement suggests you're very unlikely means that wherever you to catch the virus because it gets live in the uk, families dispersed in the open air. will be able to reunite. now, i know that this but at this time of year, doesn't equate to a normal no one wants to spend too christmas and it won't long out in the cold. this is, after all, the season work for everyone, work for gatherings indoors, for everyone, and it is up to but that brings a whole

each of us to think carefully series of risks. about how we use this special time in any group sitting down to a meal, limited dispensation. the virus has not gone away it's possible someone may be infected without realising and families will need to make because they have no symptoms. a personaljudgement about the risk and the more people there are, the greater that danger, of forming a bubble with or visiting especially if they've come elderly relatives from different households. and the vulnerable. one risk is from sharing tis the season to be jolly, because dishes or bottles but tis also the season could be contaminated to be jolly careful. as they're passed around. another is that if someone christmas is coming and ministers and officials from the uk's four administrations had big decisions is infected, they'll release to make about families meeting up over the festive season. the virus as they talk, and more emerges the louder people the aim has been a common uk—wide approach and scotland's first are as they project their voices. minister earlier indicated extreme hour by hour, the longer everyone's together, caution was required. the more it can accumulate we will continue to ask people in the air. and if the windows are closed against the winter cold, to err on the side of caution. there'll be no fresh air to dilute the virus — again, increasing the chances of infection. our advice is to use any flexibility carefully and only if they believe by opening windows regularly it right and necessary throughout the day, you can remove for their personal circumstances. the infected particles... this afternoon, the agreed so the government's advice is to open windows, which might make christmas plan was set out. for five days from the 23rd the room colder but should clear

to the 27th of december, the tiny virus particles people will be allowed to have three households getting together known as aerosols. hands, face, space. so they can enjoy something closer there is growing evidence that to a normal christmas. if you were in a poorly ventilated space for a long period of time it is not an instruction to travel with people who are infected, or to meet with other people. people should still use that you may be breathing in those a sense of responsibility, aerosols and that might be one of the routes of infection should still ask themselves whether what they are doing and especially in a social setting is keeping themselves where the chances are you're not wearing a face covering. and other people safe. so the guidance is to reduce kent has two council areas the numbers getting together in the top ten uk hotspots for virus and maybe save a big gathering for the summer. infections, so how do locals avoid sharing plates and utensils. see the next few weeks? the american government says everyone should bring their own. i would like to mix at christmas and keep the event but i can see i may not do it. as short as possible. everybody wants to get back but even with measures like this, to a sense of normality but we have the elderly and other vulnerable all got to be patient. people may still be at risk. i think really we should all have been locked down untiljanuary so there's a christmas balance to strike between the chances and then start the tier system. of infection and the benefits to morale, and getting that restrictions will be reimposed right won't be easy. after christmas but for how long? david shukman, bbc news. is it possible we could be back to normal after easter?

after easter we think we will be getting back to normal. what will that mean in practice? with me now to explore how what these rules mean in real terms and the importance of following them, those damaging social is stephen reicher — a behavioural expert who sits distancing interventions that have big downsides, on the scientific advisory group, sage and is an adviser to the scottish government. whether economic or social in terms of our wellbeing, if we made, can we talk about the i should hope that we can lift those whole of the uk since this has been after easter if these two vaccines now agreed more oi’ whole of the uk since this has been now agreed more or less between the are approved by the regulator. four home nations? do they seem that's what might happen in a few sensible and safe? well, i mean, months, but the nhs is having to cope right now that science is unambiguous. the with the consequences of covid infections. more we are in contact with each the number of patients other, especially indoors and poorly with the virus at cambridge hospitals has trebled over the last three weeks and there are staff ventilated crowded come under shortages because of illness. hygienic conditions, the more there is concern what might happen if case numbers escalate again. infections there will be. and therefore, if people mix more of i don't think this lockdown has felt christmas inevitably the infections will go up in the deaths will go up. like a proper lockdown as it is because everywhere of course that has to be balanced is still busy, but definitely when against the harms in the mental the rules relax and numbers go up, health harms, the real mental health we will definitely struggle more.

harms of not meeting up with people. some seriously ill covid patients but also, psychologist talk about will not survive and daily death numbers may continue to rise. the process called reacting. sometimes if you say to people you one way of looking at the impact is looking at total cannot do something, they want to do deaths from all causes. is simply to prove their autonomy to the grey line shows the average for weekly deaths in the uk say that we can come and when you and here is what has happened turn around to say ok you can do it, so far this year. people might discover that perhaps the red line is covid deaths they don't really want to do it. and and in the last month or so it has i think all of us have to ask taken the total above the average ourselves very carefully do we by i9% in the last week, really wa nt ourselves very carefully do we really want to meet up. is that the but it is still a lot less best thing for our families? because than in the first peak. after all, as everybody agrees? christmas is about family commit is the total is 100% then above the average. once the vaccines have been rolled about goodwill and love and keeping out and restrictions lifted, people safe. it is about giving gifts, and they'll ask if you want the number of excess deaths throughout the pandemic will be to give people is the infections, so the best benchmark of how the uk has fared compared with other nations. in many ways, and the time of the hugh pym, bbc news. pandemic, the way of caring for your family might be just for now not to hug people, not to spend time with let's speak to our political people, but to save it up for when it is safe and went in doing it they correspondent iain watson. will be safe as well. interesting. agreement in principle but there are by will be safe as well. interesting. by not being too authoritarian you might get get the result you want

a few variations. just talk us and compliance around the uk has through what we know. certainly the case in england, the three been pretty good, has in it, so far? households will be allowed to meet it has been. it has been very good indoors to those five days between the 23rd and 27th of december, that in terms of behaviours like wearing is likely going to be followed throughout the rest of the uk. it is mass, like socially distancing. if not your clear what constitutes a you look not only a what people say but i do, systematic observation of household in scotland for example. behaviour show compliance is up in england, a household would around 9095%. —— —— 95 to 99%. it is include a support bubble if you are for example a civil parent, and meeting with on a regular basis with that of the household, you will only we ask people to do things that still count as one unit. —— a single are difficult like social distancing parent. and in scotland, extended which is low and people say the households, they may be treated government should spend more time helping us and wagging their finger. separately for the christmas effectively the back—up argument has when i would ask us we will see much more emphasis on the government been this, that while a limit of helping people to be safe and helping people to be safe and helping people to make their decisions about how to be safe. i three is acceptable for nicola sturgeon and the number of think by a large there are two main households, she was very concerned ways of being safe. the first is about dangers of indoor transmission outdoors. as your report showed, of the virus and doesn't want this very little of the infection is to escalate into perhaps six spread outdoors. probably about 95

to 97% of the infections happen households, so we are told it will be for the clarification from the guidance of the scottish government indoors. outside is relatively safe on this but it may well be that an and while completely agree the middle christmas you don't want to spend all day outside, we can have anomaly on how the households are constituted in different parts of events for a short period outside the uk. if you are travelling from and we can have community england to scotland or whatever the rules are over christmas, the rules festivities and perhaps the don't apply to you and indeed vice government should be supporting this and organising those community ve rsa . don't apply to you and indeed vice versa. also some differences in northern ireland, a little bit of a festivities, drawing on those groups and community groups which have leeway for travel to and from sprung up during the pandemic up and northern ireland. so you can travel down the country, a community there on the 22nd, and i guess if celebration fund so we can go outside and be with people and be you arrive you can be with three safe. and secondly, to give us very households indoors, you can also travel back from the 28th of clear advice on how to be safe indoors. to help us to draw up plans december, so i let a bit more leeway for travel and northern ireland and so we can indoors. to help us to draw up plans so we can look after each other, and would be an britain. again if you're not just to tell us what we can so we can look after each other, and notjust to tell us what we can do, but to help us, so for instance one travelling between wales, england and scotland, you would expect to of the things in your report was the point about keeping windows open, leave you three households a very important in terms of christmas bubble on the 27th on the ventilation. of course it gets us 28th. already sounding a bit like a cold so we have to turn the heating up cold so we have to turn the heating up in some people can afford that. christmas jigsaw. let's just look at so why not to support us, notjust the bubbles themselves, because you

can't chop and change, can you? once lecturers, the government sets up you have agreed your bubbles, you like a winterfuel lecturers, the government sets up like a winter fuel allowance, a can have another three or four pandemic fuel allowance of everybody can pandemic fuel allowance of everybody ca n afford bubbles along for a eve drink. —— pandemic fuel allowance of everybody can afford to do the right thing and you cannot have. that is right. this to be safe? i think what i like to see much more of his support for is different difficulty. you have to define your bubble and stick to it. people to make the right decisions it would be impossible during those to keep them and their families safe five days a christmas it is now to over christmas. so a marriage decide to chop and change between your relatives you might see one set psychology? i wonder what you of the 23rd and another on the 24th. thought about... i wouldn't use the word in edge. i don't think it is not exceeding that three household not next. —— imagine psychology. i limit. no, that is not acceptable. think it is about partnership and it answered with the same three households bublik together for the the government helping us and full five days according to the working with us to make for notjust government. again, they are worried a safe christmas but more generally about too much household for us to be safe during this pandemic. it is about practical measures come about support and what is more come psychology shows that if people see the government as other, they are doing things to us, then we trust them less and we comply less. the more that we see the government on our side as acting for us, as helping us, not only does

that practically allow us to do the right thing, and motivates us to go along with them because we see them on our side, so i think that shift from a rather paternalistic finger wagging to a partnership approach from telling people off to supporting them is profoundly important both in practical terms in of motivating people to adhere to these restrictions. why five days? why not seven or ten? if everybody agrees with the same rules? well,... as some level i think these are questions which people need to ask themselves more than others. mark dra keford themselves more than others. mark drakeford put themselves more than others. mark dra keford put it themselves more than others. mark drakeford put it very nicely when he in wales he talked about restrictions to me that if we all think about how we can get away with things, of course we will find contradictions and problems. if we think about what we should do and what is good for us, us as

individuals and families and as communities, we begin to think very differently. so yes, people might not find loopholes well who will you harm to picking up those loopholes? if you socialise more, you will harms those who socialise with you with. and he spent a lot of time with. and he spent a lot of time with vulnerable people you put them more at risk. —— if you spend a lot of time. it is not about getting went over the man or over authorities by going beyond these rules, we will harm ourselves and so asi rules, we will harm ourselves and so as i say, i think it is about government helping us and guiding us, not telling us what to do, but guiding guests and helping us to be safe in our families guiding guests and helping us to be safe in ourfamilies in our communities. some people think five daysis communities. some people think five days is plenty enough anyway. thank you very much indeed forjoining us. the latest government figures show there were 11,299 new coronavirus infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period. that means the average number of new cases reported

per day in the last week, is now 18,295 1,654 people had been per day in the last week, is now 18,295. 1,654 people had been admitted to hospital on average each day over the week to last friday and 608 deaths were reported — that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. that means on average in the past week, 442 deaths were announced every day. it takes the total number of deaths so far across the uk to 55,838. keeping children in the classroom has been one of the key goals for the government. but it's a policy which comes with enormous challenges for both pupils and staff. more than one in five secondary school students in england was out of school last week because of coronavirus. the latest figures showjust 78% of teenagers were in the classroom, the lowest level since september.

before the pandemic 95% attendance was normal. our education editor bra nwen jeffreys reports from knowsley on merseyside, one of the worst affected areas this term. even break time is carefully managed. a school hit hard by coronavirus, teachers and pupils having to isolate. in year ten, we have had to have bubble closure, an entire bubble closure in year 11. we have had a partial bubble closure. there's a significant number of days that have been lost as part of that. across year 11 just since september, more than 700 days in the classroom lost. even now, we're stilljust catching up with work that we missed in lockdown. so there's still a lot of content that we need to catch up on before learning the content that we should be right now. i don't think it's really fair because at the end of the day, we're all sitting the same exam and some have had more time

in school than others. and it could affect people differently. as someone who isolated already i think it's really stressful to even think about the fact we have got to do exams in a few months' time. it won't be learning all the content on your exams. it will not only affect your gcses but also college. in this part of merseyside, as many as four out of ten teenagers have been at a secondary school at any one time. local infection rates have improved very slightly, but those are still days in the classroom those teenagers won't get back. and schools are worried that if there's more disruption after christmas, they simply won't be able to cover all of the content of their gcses. plans for exams promised soon — one suggestion grades could be more generous than usual across england. it's exactly the same as reducing the content for everybody. what we need is a more localised

approach to take into account the exact nature of the disruption that we faced. in english, pupils will have more choice and exam questions, someone it allowed in other subjects. you could have different papers that covered different parts of the content, or you could have a single paper, that guide pupils to the questions that they should answer based on the content they've studied. how high would you put the risk of the government getting itself into a very difficult position again? at the moment, i think that risk is very high. as they try to keep cases at bay, unions warn more pupils may need to learn at home. ministers determined schools will stay open come what may. branwen jeffreys, bbc news, knowsley. organised criminal gangs have been abusing the universal credit system, as rules were loosened to cope with a rise in applications during the coronavirus pandemic.

officials told the bbc they've stopped as much as a billion pounds of taxpayers' money from being paid to fraudsters. our social affairs correspondent, michael buchanan, has more. there is a concern there is a lot more and i've been told there are more than 1 million applications for universal credit within the system that still need checking and there is a concern that some of that may be fraudulent although the applicants may simply not be eligible for the benefit if, for instance, they have applied for some of the covid support schemes like the self—employed grant. there is also concerned that the highly automated universal credit system did not spot this particular scam and it was stopped effectively by a junior civil servant working with high street banks who noticed dozens of applications for the benefit were being rooted towards the same bank account. that led to further investigations which revealed more than 100,000 fraudulent applications for universal credit is with gangs using stolen identities. that led to officials calculating

that as much as £1 billion may have been paid out had the scam has been successful. now it's time for a look at the weather with matt taylor. hello. the rain across western scotland and northern ireland finally eases off tonight so there will be a few showers later, that rain will be on the move southwards and eastward. pushing into northern and western england and wales, further south to stay dry and partly clear skies and a bit breezy here but that breeze still filling mild airfor england or wales overnight into the morning. for scotland and northern ireland with clearing skies and a much colder night with a touch of frost for one or two even some ice as we start the day. but a much brighter day in prospect here. sunshine and showers, brightening up in western england and wales after that slightly cloudy and damp start. to the midlands towards a singly in the southeast, you start with to the midlands towards east anglia in the southeast, you start with sunshine plenty of clattering, rain, drizzle, coming and going through the day, the odd heavy burst of rain, holding on the mild air

here but much colder for the northwards and westwards, temperatures back into single figures. with clear skies that take us to wednesday night and that there is a way come get ready for the return of some widespread overnight frost and also some patchy fog. hello this is bbc news. the headlines. a christmas like no other. uk wide rules on festive bubbles — up to three households will be able to mix over five days. so the decorations are not in vain — with a month to go families up and down the country can start planning. i love christmas, and it's the only time of year that i get everybody together, so it is very important. schools may be open — but how do they cope when one in five students is at home because of covid restrictions why should leaseholders have to pay

for cladding defects they didn't know about — mps say the government is wrong. more now on our top story. england, scotland, wales and northen ireland have agreed on broad uk wide rules to allow families to gather for christmas. the cabinet office minister michael gove said they needed to find a balance between allowing people to meet loved ones and the risks involved. so for five days from the 23rd until the 27th of december people will be allowed to have a christmas bubble. that means that three households can get together. so that families can enjoy something closer to a normal christmas. now we all know that christmas this year won't be as it has been in years past. but all governments agree that we should balance the need to protect public health but also allowing people to be with their loved ones. is there a public health risk and relaxing the rules in this way? well, we have to be careful. and the prime minister emphasised last night in his press conference that it isn't critically important

that we recognise that this vibrance is not yet beaten. so a balance needs to be struck. people want to be with their loved ones and those close to them. what is the most important holiday of the year. but at the same time the limits and restrictions we are placing just five days and just three households are a way of seeking to ensure that what we can have an opportunity to be with those that we love. it's also the case that we are taking a cautious approach wasn't mystical, did you discuss in the meeting the pay back injanuary for relaxing the rules as you know very well sage it made the observation that for every date you lose some over christmas it requires five more days of tougher restrictions? that will be a payback for all of us in january while there? again, the balance has to be struck. most people i think that most people will want to have the additional flexibilities that are there. not everyone will want to exercise them. some people will be particular cautious this christmas will stop and we have emphasised that even

through three households can meet, those three households can't meet together. in hospitality settings in pubs aren't restaurants. it's only in peoples homes. and of course the prime minister laid out on monday a clear approach towards tearing. which will mean they will continue to be restrictions for some so will this be seen as a much—needed festive boost after months of restrictions? we got the thoughts of people in loughborough in the east midlands where cases of coronavirus are higher than the national average. ultimately not sure it's the right decision to make, to be honest. i think, especially since they're using christmas as an excuse, i think a lot of the religious holidays have not been able to take place like diwali just happened, they have not been able to celebrate. muslims, they have not been able to celebrate eid, and thejewish community has not been able to celebrate either, so i just don't think it's very fair. and i think it would definitely lead to a massive spike in cases, that's not going to be

worth it my opinion. i think is inevitable because people will do it or this of whether they are allowed to or not. so, yeah. it's the only choice they could make. i don't really agree with that, because, personally i think it would keep us in longer lockdown. it's one day. i think we can actually give up just for one dayjust to keep everybody safe. i was do to go to my sisters, and she would not have me until this new announcement came, now she's saying you can come over now, but you are single, we can mix, just one but i don't mind doing that but anything else i'm really against it. i really don't think it should be happening. i think they should have locked us down, keep us locked down because we all want to get back to normal, and i'm literally fed up of doing what we are doing now. basically, people are going to do what they want anyway. whether they say three households, four households, five households, i think extended families, most are going to try and meet up no matter how many household coming from.

i suppose the big difference is how spread out around the country they are. so if they are coming from all over it's going to be more spreading. now for a look at how the potential chirstmas plans could impact on the travel industry is simon calder, a travel editor at the independent. well—known face here. good evening to you. it's grim every year, travelling at christmas. it's going to be much worse this year, isn't it? it's going to be, if you are not one of the, if you are one of the 19 million british people who do not have access to a car you are going to face some challenges, and i'm very sorry there is little you can do about it. if you want to make a long distance journey by rail at the moment. cannot serve the trains, of course with this five days from the 23rd to the 27th immediately two of them, there aren't any trains, well there's a handful on boxing day but

not going any great distance. a great big rush going out on the 23rd 01’ great big rush going out on the 23rd or 24th, and then back on the 27th there will be an awful lot of people leaving their kind of expanded bubble to go home, and they will discover that hey, guess what, it's engineering work time and this is absolutely traditional network rail time. it's the period of lowest demand so of course they schedule work for then, and that's what they have done this year. kings cross station in london, one of the busiest stations in britain is going to be closed basely from the last train on christmas eve to the morning of the new year's eve. east coast main line very difficult, you got other things, greater anglia going from liverpool street to norwich, that's going to be closed after christmas and things like bristol to bristol parkway, which means there's no trains running direct from the southwest of the northeast. it's a real mess and added to that the fact that people will have to socially distance on

trains, and a lot of operators are making it reservation only you think we better start planning, well good luck with that i just we better start planning, well good luck with that ijust had a look and an to york, afraid we don't know what trains will be running so you can't yet. so if you have it private car, and the roads visibly will be busy but you might be able to get around and take a lot longer. about fairies though? fairies will keep running. running the usual service in scotland, of course the many fairies across the irish sea will be going as normal. there will be a reduced service going to france but that's partly because with quarantine applied for anybody coming from france demand is vastly diminished and of course france has its own issues with getting around there. one good thing is the roads going through kent, the m2 won't be at all busy. but you are going to see massive problems in previous

christmases are anything to go by. the three quarters of the and 25 all the way from gatwick and the and 23, all the way to the a 12 going into essex will be busy. the six pre—much anywhere from the west midlands up to lancashire could have problems, and because it's new we never had this sort of concentration of traffic. well, it could be absolutely fine and indeed the survey earlier this month at a 40% of people were just not going to bother, that's of course before tonight's announcement. and we might find that it jams just tonight's announcement. and we might find that itjams just pop up randomly here or there. it's good to be extremely difficult for anybody to do any planning and if, by the way, you are thinking not really sure if i fancy public transport, don't want to get on a train, well personal i would try to persuade you otherwise, lots of good research saying it's safe but next thing is renting a car is going to be tricky. i've looked at birmingham airport,

and it broke and the prices of her christmas up by 50% and the council of social media of prices going a lot higher than that as well. i would hate to be a christmas grinch but not a lot of reasons to be cheerful in terms of travel that i can see at the moment. sounds around us. we still got the quarantine issue in place. there's some talk about changing that. what are you hearing? if people have tests. it's all quiet, so what we heard this morning from the transport secretary is that quarantine as we know it, which is absolutely mandatory 14 days of self—isolation sitting at home, is going to be eased from the 15th of september,... sorry you mean december? yes, the 15th of december.

and you seem to take a test that will allow you to leave quarantine early if it is negative which of course everybody hope that will be, you have to self—isolate for five days before you do that. that's going to be great news for lots of people who have got friends, family coming in from all over the world to see them and how lovely that will reduce the amount of time they have to spend in quarantine. it might mean that a few people think, yeah, let's get away for a pre—christmas trip, let's go to spain and have to quantity when you come back. not going to be a huge difference, the airports that are normally pretty quiet actually on christmas day are going to be completely quiet this year. good for getting around domestically, if you are not having any luck finding domestically, if you are not having any luckfinding train domestically, if you are not having any luck finding train tickets i would not normally fly from london but at least you'll be able to get

some certainty, and heading across to belfast or back from belfast to london, great fares. you can fly to sta nsted and back london, great fares. you can fly to stansted and back on the 27th, and that's only going to cost you £30 at the moment. get there quick, that's ona the moment. get there quick, that's on a well—known orange budget airline. who of course i hope you don't work for. comprehensive as always. a committee of mps says government attempts to pass a law that would make leasehold flat owners pay for building defects such as flammable cladding and fire safety defects a mou nts to ‘an abdication of responsibility‘. their highly critical report says nobody believes leaseholders should pay for historical problems exposed in the wake of the grenfell tower fire — except the government itself . our consumer affairs correspondent sarah corker reports. a bombshell has just been dropped on us with this cladding. caught up in britain's building safety crisis. these sums of money are absolutely eye watering, something that we could never afford. hundreds of thousands of people

are trapped living in unsafe homes. these flat owners in salford are now facing crippling repair bills. and if i am made bankrupt by this, i lose myjob, my career and my home. when they bought apartments here at millennium point and tower, they were told they were safe but fire safety defects have been found behind the cladding. fixing it could cost millions. the grenfell tower fire exposed serious failings with building regulations. new laws are coming, designed to remedy those flaws. but a critical report by a group of cross—party mps warns the legislation fails to protect leaseholders from spiralling costs. the housing select committee concluded leaseholders should not pay anything towards the cost of remediating historical building safety defects. it said the £1.6 billion building safety fund will prove insufficient, and in the short—term the government

must foot the bill. back in salford, paul and jake were first—time buyers at millennium point, and they welcome today's report. ultimately, we purchased properties in good faith and the buildings overall — the change in regulations or they either weren't built correctly to begin with, so how is it fair that them costs fall on us? it's great that the voice has finally been heard by the select committee. we don't have that money. it's very difficult for anyone in our kind of situation, like a modest—sized flat to have that sort of money. in the commons today, the housing committee chair described government support as totally inadequate. to make all high—rise buildings totally safe and remove all defects, the total bill could be as high as £15 billion, and leaseholders should not have to pay that. in response, the housing minister said he could not guarantee that all leaseholders would not have to contribute. we cannot write an open cheque on behalf of the taxpayer.

that would send the wrong signal to developers and those who are responsible for these buildings that they do not have to pay because the taxpayer will. but 25 conservative mps have expressed concern about the government's proposals. and across britain, people are living with the constant uncertainty of who will pay to fix this crisis. sarah corker, bbc news, in salford. the high court has ruled that the american woman alleged to have killed harry dunn in a road accident last year was entitled to diplomatic immunity. the teenager died after being injured outside an raf base in northamptonshire. anne sacoolas — who was accused of driving on the wrong side of the road — was allowed to leave the uk after he died. duncan kennedy reports. harry dunn was just 19 when he died in august of last year. he was knocked off his motorbike here by an american woman driving on the wrong side of the road.

she was anne sacoolas, who left britain two weeks after the crash, claiming diplomatic immunity through her husband's job at an american airbase. harry's parents, charlotte and tim, have tried to get mrs sacoolas to come back. but after reviewing the case, the high court today ruled that mrs sacoolas did indeed have diplomatic immunity. it's a decision that's left tim and charlotte profoundly disappointed. we've had many tears and tantrums, but we've kept our feet on the ground. we've already launched an appeal. you know, she cannot move on, surely, with her life in a wholesome way without facing up to what she's done. she openly admits what she's done. so come back, face the courts, get it over and done with and then move on. and, yeah, we can close this for everybody. the foreign secretary said thejudges had made the right decision today, but that he felt sympathy for harry's parents.

there will be no solace to the family of harry dunn. my heart is with them. we've made clear right from the outset we're on theirside. we've called and we continue to call for anne sacoolas to return home to face justice. so where does this all leave harry dunn's parents? well, today's decision by the high court was undoubtedly a setback, but they say they will appeal. they also say they'll askjoe biden to intervene when he takes over the presidency. in a statement tonight, anne sacoolas's legal representative said... anne would like nothing more than to find a path forward and to provide the family some measure of peace. duncan kennedy, bbc news in oxfordshire. cambridge university library has announced that two notebooks written by charles darwin, worth many millions of pounds, have been missing for twenty years. one of them contains the nineteenth century scientist's famous tree of life sketch, exploring the evolutionary

relationship between species. following a number of intensive searches, curators have now concluded they have probably been stolen — and they've launched a public appeal for help in trying to find them. our arts correspondent rebecca jones has this exclusive report. imagine losing something in here. cambridge university library is vast. 200 kilometres of shelving, 10 million books, maps and manuscripts and amongst it all, two missing notebooks by charles darwin. each of these notebooks which are the same as the ones we are looking for, are about the size of a postcard. they are written in landscape so across the page and they have, of course, darwin's writing. the notebooks have been digitised but the originals have not been seen since november 2000 when they were taken to be photographed in a temporary studio in the university's grounds. it wasn't until two months later that librarians realised they were missing.

they assume they'd been put back on a different shelf and there were a number of extensive searches. now, a new team thinks they got it wrong. i have reluctantly come to the conclusion that these notebooks have probably been stolen. that is heartbreaking for me, heartbroken this has happened, i have spent my whole career devoted to the preservation of cultural heritage and i will spend all my time here trying to determine the possibility of recovery of these items. in 1837, a young charles darwin had recently returned from the galapagos islands aboard hms beagle. in his notebooks, he is working through scientific ideas inspired by his trip. and in one of them, he sketches the tree of life. these notebooks really are darwin's attempt to pose to himself the question about where two species come from? what is the origin of species? it is almost like being inside darwin's head when you are looking at these notebooks. they are jottings of all sorts

of information he is writing down. to have such an iconic object go missing is really a tragedy. your help could be critical in seeing the notebooks safely returned. the library has launched an appeal calling for help from the public, former staff and researchers, in locating the notebooks by one of the best—known scientists of all time. it will take another five years to complete a full search of the building here so it is still possible the notebooks could turn up. in the meantime, their disappearance has been reported to cambridgeshire police. and if you have any information about where they might be, the library would love to hear from you. rebecca jones, bbc news, cambridge. joining me now from his home in suffolk is dick ellis, director of the art management group who also set up the metropolitan police's art and antiquities squad. thank you forjoining us this evening, if they were stolen 20 yea rs evening, if they were stolen 20 years ago it's a very cold crime, isn't it? what do you think has

happened? i think that the books themselves were probably ordered by an academic who was researching them, and thereby rbc failed to go backin them, and thereby rbc failed to go back in after they were photographed, either at their request or whoever‘s request. i think you need to restart the investigation of looking at those records that would have been completed, because the sort of books don't only sit on shelves, they come out of a temperature humidity controlled store room and only would have been brought out the specific request of a recognised scholar or an academic reader who is researching darwin. should be an audit trail as to who requested them, and with crimes like this, u nfortu nately, them, and with crimes like this, unfortunately, historically it's

shown that either the academic or scholar develops an affinity with that particular book or manuscript that particular book or manuscript that they regarded almost as their property, and has been known for them to walk off with it, and sort of keep it. so that's one thing that could have happened. sadly the other, because of the limited access, other, because of the limited a ccess , you other, because of the limited access, you would have to look at the library staff of the day 20 yea rs the library staff of the day 20 years ago who had access to them. i suspect they will eventually be found, this is not the sort of item, it's so unique it will not have been destroyed. its not come in your view, innocent forgetfulness, oh my goodness i've ta ken view, innocent forgetfulness, oh my goodness i've taken that out 20 yea rs goodness i've taken that out 20 years ago, and here it is on my book sheu years ago, and here it is on my book shelf in my study. i don't think it would be that simple, no. you can't

rule out, and i know the library has moved heaven and earth trying to find these books to me but you cannot overlook the fact that they could have simply been misfiled. and ina library could have simply been misfiled. and in a library the size of cambridge university, finding the needle in the haystack could take time. but i think that, you know, they've exhausted that and hence this appeal now for their return. and the appeal isa now for their return. and the appeal is a good way forward. whoever borrowed them 20 years ago or took them out 20 years ago, they may have died. they may be sitting on, you know, in a book shelf and somebody‘s house without even realising they are there. so that's one aspect. also i think the appeal for the return of the books is the right way to go. the police obviously are there to investigate crimes and to

identify those responsible for those crimes. if it was something like an affinity with the work which led to its disappearance and i think the appealfor its its disappearance and i think the appeal for its return its disappearance and i think the appealfor its return is its disappearance and i think the appeal for its return is the its disappearance and i think the appealfor its return is the right way to go. the fact that they are so well known, would that mean that a bona fide book dealer would not touch them? it would be too hot to try and sell? yes. this isjust so unique, i mean it's not a printed book, it's a handwritten, it's a one off. even when you have books of limited editions, i recovered a com plete limited editions, i recovered a complete set of birds of america which, at the time he was selling for around about the £2 million mark. they had, all the pages had been physically cut or torn from their bindings in the national

library in st. petersburg in russia. but so unique, are these books, that christie's, the auction house asked to sell this undertook their due diligence and from the watermarks on the pages, and the records that existed in academia, were able to identify these books as having come from the state library in russia. so any book dealer or collector undertaking due diligence would insta ntly undertaking due diligence would instantly realise that this handwritten work by darwin belonged in cambridge, because that's where the records were shown it should be. so the other thing about the book—sellers association is that they've always been extremely good at circulating stolen books to their memberships. so they can be alerted that these books are stolen, and

they can work to recover them. fascinating, thank you very much indeed forjoining us here on bbc news. something completely different. from darwin to sanitary pads. scotland has made history and become the first country in the world to give free access to items such as tampons and sanitary pads in public buildings. msps unanimously approved the bill which aims to tackle so—called period poverty and ensure anyone who needs period products can get them for free, by law. a military dog who charged through enemy gunfire to save the lives of british soldiers in afghanistan has been awarded the animal equivalent of the victoria cross. during a raid kuno tackled a gunman and was hit by bullets in both back legs. after losing one of his paws as a result, he became the first uk military dog to get custom—made prosthetics. tim muffett reports. kuno, the pdsa dickin medal.

military honours for a remarkable dog. at woolwich barracks in south—east london, four—year—old kuno was honoured today for his actions in afghanistan last year. he was supporting uk forces when they came under attack from al-qaeda extremists. he's been honoured because he performed exceptionally on the battlefield. exceptional courage, exceptional loyalty, devotion to duty, he did a fantastic job, saved lives when it mattered. the ministry of defence have asked that kuno's handler at the time remains anonymous. i moved over to him and he was hobbling around, and he was clearly in a bad way. his paw was all mangled up, it didn't look good. so we bandaged that up. he had what's called a through and through on his thigh, so the bullet had gone straight through his thigh and out the other side. you can see kuno's prosthetic limbs here which allow him to be mobile. he was actually the first serving military dog to be fitted with them.

lots of challenges, varied challenges, quite severe injuries, combination of injuries that were difficult to manage. individually they would have been very achievable but as a combination, they were challenging. he is a brilliant patient, it was quite clear he was going to take it in his stride and stood the best chance of a full recovery. the pdsa dickin medalfor animal bravery was introduced in 1943. as well as dogs, horses, pigeons and even a cat have previously been honoured. for this four—year—old belgian malinois, retirement in dorset now beckons. kuno has certainly earned it. tim muffett, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with matt taylor hello. the rain across western scotland and northern ireland finally eases

off tonight so there will be a few showers later, that rain will be on the move southwards and eastward. pushing into northern and western england and wales, further south it'll stay dry with partly clear skies. a bit breezy here but that breeze still feeding mild airfor england or wales overnight into the morning. scotland and northern ireland with clearing skies and a much colder night with a touch of frost for one or two places, even some ice as we start the day. but a much brighter day in prospect here. sunshine and showers, brightening up in western england and wales after that slightly cloudy and damp start. to the midlands towards east anglia in the southeast, you start with sunshine, plenty of cloud around, rain, drizzle, coming and going through the day, the odd heavy burst of rain, holding on to the mild air here but much colder for the northwards and westwards, temperatures back into single figures. with clear skies that take us to wednesday night and that there is rain, get ready for the return of some widespread overnight frost and also some patchy fog.

this is bbc news — it's all change in washington as the transfer of power formally begins mr biden today introduced as the transfer of power formally begins. mr biden today introduced the men and women who will lead his national security team. in the new cabinet the first woman to serve as treasury secretary, the first woman to serve as national security adviser, and the first latino at homeland security.

it is 18 team that reflects the fact that america is back, ready to leave the world, not retreat from it. once again, sitting at the head of the table. the president hasn't conceded but he has at least allowed the transition of power to begin — and in response the dowjones index hits a record high. also in the programme. millions of americans are travelling home to see family and friends for thanksgiving, in spite of the public