this is bbc news the headlines at 9pm. nearly 18 million people in london and south—east england move into stricter tier 4 restrictions from midnight — people must stay it is with a very heavy heart i must tell you we cannot carry on with christmas as planned. in england, those living in tier 4 areas should not mix with anyone outside their household at christmas. the new restrictions are blamed on new variant of the disease. travel is banned except for essential business with others across england asked to stay local.

donald trump plays down a major cyber attack on us government agencies and questions whether russia was responsible. hello and welcome if you are watching in the uk or around the world, stay with us for the latest news and analysis. the british prime minister has announced tough new restrictions for parts of london and the south—east of england. from midnight tonight, millions of people have been told to stay at home, not meat in each other‘s homes are not travel outside their local area. nonessential shops will close for two weeks, the music comes after scientists advising the government said a new coronavirus variant was spreading more quickly.

another twist in 2020's terrible karma — the virus is outpacing politicians' and the public‘s attempt to get hold of itjust at the time of year when journeys are meant to bring us together. from midnight, travel from london's paddington or anywhere in the south—east will be banned, the government cancelling families' christmas plans. this couple have already decided not to see family. it was never a good idea tojust say, we shouldn't have any restrictions over a short period. it's not like covid is going to take a break or anything like that, so itjust made no sense whatsoever and it's messing with people's minds. this man from south london resolved his big family won't get together. i think i'm choosing to be wise and say, look, let's celebrate later on next year. i think the consequences of actually mingling are just too great. this man, a teacher, won't see his family from italy now either. it's a very annoying situation, but i can't see it getting better because they're talking about now zone 4, which is even stricter. i can't understand what's stricter than this. the prime minister pushed to take action he decided

against earlier this week. it is with a very heavy heart i must tell you we cannot continue with christmas as planned. in england, those living in tier 4 areas should not mix with anyone outside their own household at christmas, though support bubbles will remain in place for those at particular risk of loneliness or isolation. we have a particularly fast—moving problem with increased numbers in the area going into tier 4 but a generalised increase across the country. there were calls for you to drop the plans for christmas last week just a few days ago but, on wednesday, you told me and our viewers it would be inhuman to change the plans, and now that's exactly what you've done. aren't there millions of people whose plans have just been torn up entitled to feel that you just left

this too late? we of course bitterly regret the changes that are necessary but, alas, when the facts change, you have to change your approach, and the briefing that i had yesterday about this mutation of the virus, particularly about the speed of transmission, was not possible to ignore. professor whitty, if someone is packing a bag right now, listening to or watching this, trying to leave the south—east by midnight tonight, what should they do? my short answer would be, please unpack it at this stage. uk opposition leaders had already called for a rethink. i'm really frustrated because i raised this with the prime minister on wednesday, and he dismissed that and went on to tell people to have a merry little christmas, only three days later to rip up their plans, and i think the british public‘s entitled to more decisive leadership than that. they're getting confusion where they need certainty. another upset, another change of heart in number 10. after a year many of us

would rather forget, a christmas that may be remembered for all the wrong reasons too. earlier our political correspondent, nick eardley. nicola sturgeon has announced tighter festive restrictions for scotland, reducing a five—day window for mixing with other households indoors to just christmas day itself. let's hear what scotland's first minister had to say earlier. in order to reduce the risk of more of this strain being imported into scotland, we intend to maintain a strict travel ban between scotland and the rest of the uk. unfortunately, and i am genuinely sorry about this, that ban will remain in place right throughout the festive period. we simply cannot risk more of this new strain entering the country if we can possibly avoid it. that means people from scotland not visiting other parts of the uk and vice versa, cross—border travel for all but the most essential purposes is not permitted. we're also asking police scotland and transport operators to consider how the enforcement of this can be

strengthened in the period ahead although, of course, how that is done is an operational matter for the chief constable. we'll also be reviewing urgently over the next day or so the position on international travel, and i will update on that early next week, but, in the meantime, my strong advice continues to be against nonessential foreign travel. thirdly, we have already advised that, where possible, people should celebrate christmas at home in their own household and meet with others outdoors only. the five—day flexibility from the 23rd to the 27th of december was planned to recognise the impact of loneliness and the difficulty i know we all feel in leaving loved ones alone over christmas. however, earlier this week, we advised that people should meet indoors with other households if at all on no more than one day over the five—day period. given the concern we now have about this new strain, we now intend to change the law

to allow indoor mixing in a bubble on christmas day only from midnight on christmas day to midnight going into boxing day. in large parts of england, as the prime minister has just announced, that will not even be allowed. we will allow christmas day to go ahead but, as we have said from the start, only use this flexibility if you really truly need to. this new strain makes that message all the more important. our advice is still not to meet indoors, even on christmas day, with other households if you can possibly avoid it. if you had people travelling to join you for christmas from elsewhere in the uk, that will no longer be permitted. equally, it will no longer be permitted for any of us to travel to anywhere in the rest of the uk for christmas. we simply cannot take the risk of this strain travelling from different parts of the uk.

wales is also introducing tighter restrictions, with the whole country moving into lockdown from midnight. here's first minister mark drakeford. we've had new information shared with us today about the new variant and its seriousness and, as a result, as a cabinet, we have decided to bring forward to tonight the restrictions that were already planned for immediately after christmas and, over the christmas period itself, what would have been five days of relaxation are being collapsed simply into one day — christmas day itself. i know you were worried about that christmas period potentially being a super spreader event. are you still comfortable with that, even though it's just one day of relaxation? we know that there's more than one form of harm from coronavirus — there will be people who are lonely, who are isolated, who will have made plans for christmas day itself and, provided people go about it all carefully and responsibly,

i think that is something we can accommodate, despite the seriousness of the situation we face. what about support for businesses then that will have to close from midnight? you've already announced a package, but will that be accelerated in light of the restrictions being accelerated? we're doing our best to bring it forward as fast as we can with our colleagues in local government, and i've said today that any extra help that is made available to businesses in england, because of the prime minister's announcement, money that comes to wales because of that, all of that will be made available to businesses here in wales. let's speak to a spokesman from the advisory group for emergencies. we have heard the government talking about this new variant which is up to 70% more transmissible. really, the messaging and getting people to stick to the rules is more important

than ever now, isn't it? it is more important but even without this new variant, i think many of us felt that the relaxation of the rules over christmas with the infection rates as high as they were was not really a sensible strategy. and interestingly the population, by and large, agreed with that, and people we re large, agreed with that, and people were already mostly saying that they wouldn't take advantage of the relaxation but now we have this new information about this new strain, then, as you say, it's even more important. but i am pretty confident that people will abide by the new roles because they are generally worried, as you say. even though these changes have been announced today, the relaxations haven't been cancelled altogether, people can still meet up on christmas day, even if it is a shorter time. was there a

sense, do you think, that people we re sense, do you think, that people were going to break the rules so they needed to be given something to get them to comply most of the time? there was a concern about that and that was certainly factored in to the thinking about relaxations, a sort of harm reduction approach, how do you try and get the maximum adherence to the most effective social distancing type rules. but the situation has changed, obviously, with this concern about the new variant. but even then, before that, the public has, by and large, been a little bit ahead of the westminster government on this, in terms of saying, actually, you know what, i think we should be having stricter rules than the government are saying. the majority of people have actually favoured that. you'll always have people, it is understandable, who will say, i'm not going to abide by this but

certainly in this country, they are a minority. do not get a sense of fatigue out there when it comes to compliance? there are certainly fatigue, we are all sick and tired of it, but what is really interesting, and we had studied this, looking at it over the months, you know, since the first lockdown, is that it hasn't translated into a reduced motivation to adhere to the rules. and i think that is ready to peoples credit that they, you know, they really are sick and tired of this but they also really understand how important it is to adhere to the rules because the virus has always done what it does and now, if we have this new variant, which looks like we have, then it is even more virulent so it is even more important. you can engage in wishful thinking or you like and hope that it is not really that bad but it is,

it is not really that bad but it is, it is not really that bad but it is, it is exactly what it is, and people, once they come to terms with that, they make adjustments where they can. good to talk to you, thank you very much. the first of millions of doses of moderna's covid—i9 vaccine are being prepared for shipping to locations across the united states. on friday night, the us food and drug administration granted the moderna jab emergency approval for use. this vaccine can be stored in normal freezers, at minus 20 degrees celsius. the distribution at that new moderna vaccine has been done. there will be a central distributor. at the distribution centres, boxes are being packed and loaded today.

tracks will begin rolling out tomorrow from fedex and ups, delivering vaccines and kits to the american people across the united states. in europe, italy has imposed new national restrictions to curb rising coronavirus infection rates over the christmas and new year period. the country has recorded the highest covid death toll in europe. meanwhile, switzerland has become the first country in continental europe to approve the pfizer/biontech vaccine. the measures taken by rome will go into effect on monday and last until january 6th. people will be allowed to leave their homes only once a day but are banned from leaving their region. residents of switzerland will as of tuesday enter a ‘light‘ lockdown in which bars and restaurants will shut for a month. people are advised to stay at home and not travel during the festive period. austria will go into its third lockdown of the pandemic starting december 26 until january 24. shops, restaurants and schools will partially reopen the week of january 18.

sweden for the first time is now recommending that people wear face masks on public transport during peak hours. the number of people allowed to meet in restaurants has also been reduced. after falling ill with covid—i9, french president emmanuel macron is said to be stable and recent examinations have given reassuring results, although his doctor says he's still suffering from fatigue, coughing and stiffness. at least nine coronavirus patients have been killed in a fire at a hospital in southern turkey. the blaze — in an intensive care ward at the hospital in gaziantep — is believed to have been triggered by the explosion of an oxygen tank. well, among the restrictions announced by the british prime minister are new limits on travel. mrjohnson announced a general "stay at home order" for all of the new areas in tier 4 within england. simon calder, travel editorfor the independent newspaper in london, explains what that means for international travel.

u nfortu nately, if unfortunately, if you are booked to travel imminently and you are one of the one third of the english population, about 18 million people, who are in this new area, which is largely london, if you have been describing, these to england in south—east england, well, yes, you are not from midnight allowed to travel abroad. having said that, of course, if you have a pressing reason, if it is for work, for example, then that can go ahead. and, crucially, if you live somewhere outside this tearful zone, i believe that you will still be able to be able to travel into tier 4 able to be able to travel into tier iiin able to be able to travel into tier 4 in order to take a flight. heathrow, gatwick and stansted are located in that area. so, for many minutes of people, i estimate we are into the tens of thousands of people in the affected area who are due to travel in the next week before christmas, and that is an extremely

stressful time. my prediction is as follows. if you are booked onto a package holiday to one of the few destinations in europe you can travel to without any restriction from the government, then, that trip, if you are in tier 4, will not be able to go ahead. some breaking news, uk government source said they will be no trade deal with the eu u nless will be no trade deal with the eu unless there is a substantial shift from brussels in the coming days. it is understood there is likely to be a decision before christmas. uk sources say it is increasingly likely the uk will leave with no deal. in response, a senior source from brussels told our correspondent it is in the interests of both sides to reach a fair deal, which cannot bea to reach a fair deal, which cannot be a case without a level playing field and sustainable arrangements forfisheries. nearly 18 million people in london in the south—east

of england move into tier 4 from midnight. people must stay at home and nonessential shops have to close. the new restrictions are due to a spike in cases are blamed on a spa spreading —— fast spreading new variant of the disease. the us state of california has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic — reporting continued daily record highs in hospitalizations and deaths. and as hospitals are struggling to cope with the demand, there are fears that the state could run out of intensive care units by new year's eve. let's speak to an infectious disease specialist and a professor of medicine at the university of california. thank you very much for joining us. just describe what the situation is in california at the moment for us. it is very dire. there is a disconnect between what

is happening on the outside and some resentment between the people and what is happening on the inside of the hospitals with zero capacity in many regions of the state and filling up very quickly and others. a lot of people are putting the blame on celebrations over thanksgiving and people getting together, does that tally with what you have seen in terms of the numbers of cases? yes, despite restrictions that were recommended 01’ restrictions that were recommended or imposed by the government —— governor of california, 15 million people travelled and a million by plane. so, 88 million americans travelling over the christmas holidays, which is very frightening if you think about the search on surge that is inevitably going to happen. in turds -- in terms of intensive care units and pressure on

them, but presumably this is having a knock—on across the board at hospitals as well, in terms of other treatments and the impact that will have. yes, definitely. it is not just intensive care units, it is the whole hospital. and, you know, we have medicines now, we have dexamethasone, we have remdesivir, but if we don't have enough beds or enough people to treat people, it doesn't matter if you have state—of—the—art therapies, you will just be making decisions between life and death. such a grim situation to be in. i suppose there is some positive news in terms you've got the moderna vaccine being approved, you had the other vaccine upon so approved. how quickly could you expect to see the impact of these vaccinations on the ground? so, the impact wouldn't be felt on the population level, unfortunately. i think the cat is already out of the bag. in our hospital, five—time

increased hospitalisations from the beginning of october, but it would have an impact on the health care worker population. with the approval of moderna, we will double the amount of vaccines coming to californian from 1 million to 2 million. but we have 2.4 million health care workers so you can see it is not going to target everyone. nevertheless, by keeping health care workers safe and covid free during this huge surge, we can at least keep the staff available and i'm glad to help the sick people who come in. thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us, i really appreciate it. let's return to our top story this hour, the measures taken to fight a more transmissible strain of coronavirus here in england. stephen reicher is professor of social psychology at the university of st andrews. he gave me his take on the governent‘s messaging as it announces new restrictions,

and the likelihood of people adhering to the new rules. behaviour is critical but remember, many of the behaviours which spread the infection are perfectly within the infection are perfectly within the rules and i think the problem was before that people were being told they could mix with up to two other households over five days, and it was suggested that it people led those rules, the art rate would go through the roof to between 2.8 and 3.5. so we have to be careful not to blame people, but behaviour clearly is critical, and equally, it is going to be critical over the next few days whether people go along with the rules are not because that will make the difference between whether the infection will spread, 01’ whether the infection will spread, or whether the new variant will spread or whether we can stay in control and might have a third wave that overwhelms the nhs. do you think, though, that people are getting locked and fatigue? you do

getting locked and fatigue? you do get a sense that people have really had enough of it, haven't they? 0h, we have had enough of it. but one of the things we have learnt is that we should put this term lockdown fatigue to bed. what we have discovered is that people actually are remarkably resilient. at the beginning, we were told they would beginning, we were told they would be fatigue but people went along with the restrictions, even though they were suffering. and a second wave, figures show resilience is very high. it is not fatigue that is the problem, people will put up with restrictions if they think they are necessary and effective, but if they think they are ineffective or if they think they are illegitimate or if they out given a support to go along with them, then there is a problem. therefore, ithink along with them, then there is a problem. therefore, i think it is really important to give out the message as to what is happening over christmas and the issue of not mixing over christmas isn't over —— an issue of whether you go along with the government or not, we're not doing it for the government, it is about keeping ourselves safe, and

that the evidence is indisputable. if we were to mix and the more we mix, the more we put ourfamilies if we were to mix and the more we mix, the more we put our families at risk and the more we put up the r rate with the danger then having so many cases the nhs cannot cope. we are not asking people to do this for anybody else we are asking them to do it for themselves, for their families and for the community. and what we have found is that when people have a sense of that is the point of the restrictions, then they go along with them, even though they can be very difficult indeed. in other news, donald trump has dismissed allegations that russia was behind a major cyber espionage attack that penetrated several us government agencies. writing on twitter, the us president blamed the media for exaggerating the gravity of the situation and said everything was under control. our washington correspondent nomia iqbal told me more about donald trump's response to the cyber attack. he downplayed it, he blamed the media or as he likes to read that to

the media as the fake news media for he says are making a bigger deal out of it. he then continued the familiar pattern of effectively defending russia and instead suggesting that maybe china was behind it. and this is direct contradiction to his own secretary of state mike pompeo who was very clear on this. he said it is russia to blame for putting malicious code into software systems of the us government and governments and other countries and companies around the world. donald trump also used those series of tweets to suggest that the hacking somehow impacted evoking machines, so again continuing anotherfamiliar machines, so again continuing another familiar pattern of his which is to push out those unsubstantiated claims of election fraud. but his form ahead of the cyber security agency tweeted about an hourago to cyber security agency tweeted about an hour ago to basically make the point that you can't hack paper. so, it is interesting to see how mr

trump views it and as far as russia is concerned, russia has done what it always does when it is accused of cyber hacking, which is to deny it. many parts of the uk have had no shortage of wet weather over the last few days. there are still flood warnings in force. find out if your area is affected on the bbc news website. you can see on that —— a satellite picture, showers have pushed in from the west, they will continue tonight, some heavy and some hail and thunder. the further east you are, not so many showers, more clearer skies that it stays blustery out there so temperatures will drop too far. four to 8

degrees. tomorrow, another sunshine and showers day, the shell is most ple ntifully and showers day, the shell is most plentifully in the west but not as many showers in the east but as we go through the afternoon, and it is the shower is becoming fewer and further between, we see previous speu further between, we see previous spell of dry weather. heavy downpours return to western scotland and northern ireland. gusts of up to 50 mph in a more exposed spots. temperatures are touched down on today. tomorrow evening, rain and some hill snow maugham —— moves across the northern half of the uk and in the south, rain will be gathering. the frontal system moves across the southern half of the uk as we had three sunday night into monday, with outbreaks of rain to the south of our frontal system with some mild airand the south of our frontal system with some mild air and the north some cold air so some mild air and the north some cold airsoa some mild air and the north some cold air so a big split in temperature fortunes on monday. heavy rain moving eastwards away from parts of england as we go through the morning. behind it, a

lot of cloud left behind. northern ireland seen some sunshine, rain and hill snow moving across parts of scotland. temperatures are real range, six to 13. in a bid of the week, another area of low pressure will bring another dose of unwanted rain across the south but high pressure will build its way into the second half of the week and that means drier weather in time for christmas but also colder weather spreading across all areas so as we head through the week, temperatures are set to drop down into single digits on christmas eve and christmas day but it should be largely dry.

this is bbc world news —— bbc news. lisa grey with the headlines. nearly 18 million people in london and southeast england move into stricter restrictions from midnight. people must stay at home and nonessential stops have to close. for those in tier 4, it means the relaxation of rules has been scrapped and reduced to one day, the 25th, for the rest of england and. we must be realistic. we're sacrificing the chance to see our loved ones this christmas so we have a better chance of protecting their lives so that we can see them at future christmases. they are due to a spike in cases blamed on a new variant of the disease. wales is to be placed under lockdown from midnight with festivals cancelled for all but christmas day. scotland reduces the five—day festive window from mixing

with other households and doors