this is bbc world news. this is bbc news. our top stories... millions in england and wales are told to stay at home, as tough new coronavirus restrictions come into force. we cannot continue with christmas as planned. in england, those living in tea rful planned. in england, those living in tearful areas should not mix with anyone outside their own household at christmas. last night's announcement prompted a rush to london's stations — footage on social media shows large crowds trying to board trains. similar restrictions will follow in scotland. swathes of the country will be placed under the toughest restrictions from boxing day. it makes me want to cry, as i'm sure many of you listen and link to it

will want to cry. i know how harsh this sounds. i know how unfair it is, but this virus is unfair. the netherlands bans passenger flights from the uk, as it detects its first case this is bbc news, the headlines: of the new covid variant surging through southern england. auk a uk government sources there will millions of people in england and wales are told be no post brexit trade deal between the european union and the united kingdom unless there is a substantial shift from brussels over the next few days. hello and welcome to bbc news. millions of people in england and wales are waking up to new, tougher lockdown restrictions. at midnight london and large parts of the east and south east of england were put into a new category of tier 4 — with an order to stay at home where possible. similar restrictions came into force for all of wales at midnight. plans to relax restrictions over

the christmas holiday have now been abandoned for those in the new tier, who can no longer spend any of the festive period with people outside their household. the labour party have accused prime minister boris johnson of being indecisive. nick eardley reports. london last night, where some made a last—minute journey before lockdown started. but there won't be the usual christmas getaway this year. significant restrictions are now in place in large parts of england and in the whole of wales. and they are coming in scotland. and for millions, christmas visits will be considerably shortened or cancelled altogether. for lesley nelson, who has terminal cancer, that means she won't be able to spend time with her sister. literally, i just sat in my chair in floods of tears. and messaging my family, you know, what are we going to do? itjust seems so unfair. for somebody like me,

i'm terminally ill, i won't be here next christmas. people may think, 0k, that's all right. we'll celebrate christmas in the summer. i don't know if i'm going to be here in the summer. my sister is going to be sitting at home by herself 100 miles away, and her presents are under the tree. 70 million people in england are back in lockdown. in london, the east and south east of england, people are being urged to stay at home. nonessential shops are closed, plans to allow christmas baubles have been cancelled. —— bubbles. in the rest of england, in scotland and in wales, christmas has been cut back significantly. instead of meeting for five days, christmas baubles will only be allowed for one, christmas day itself. it is with a very heavy heart,

i must tell you we cannot continue with christmas as planned. in england, those living in tearful 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 and isolation. in wales, lockdown was brought forward and came in at midnight. nicola sturgeon has said nobody should travel to scotland from the rest of the uk, and that she will be bringing a lockdown on the mainland from boxing day. it makes you want to cry, as am sure many of you listening want to cry, because i know how harsh this sounds. i know how unfair it is, but this virus is unfair. the changes will come as a blow to many. the end of this tough year is going to be no easier, but politicians and scientists believe the risk was just too great. nick eardley, bbc news, westminster. earlier i spoke to our correspondent andy moore, who was out on one of london's busiest shopping streets. what a difference a day makes. if i

had been stood here 2a hours ago there would have been crowd hustling and bustling bay. now, look at it. it's virtually deserted and i don't think it is going to get busier during the day. this should be the busiest time of the year for the shops. they should be making millions if not billions of pounds, and that revenue is going to be lost in the time running up to christmas. the organisation that represents a lot of the shops here in the west end says it is catastrophic for business, and they are asking for government aid. cba says these regulations are a kick in the teeth. what was the reaction in england last night when the regulations were announced 7 the chief last night when the regulations were announced? the chief officer chris whitty was asked what advice he would give people who are packing up their backs preparing to get out of their backs preparing to get out of the city before the new restrictions get into force, and he said his advice was to unpack those bags and stay here. a lot of people did not hear or heed that advice, and there we re very hear or heed that advice, and there were very busy scenes at some london

train stations last night. st pancras in particular was very busy. within hours, a lot of the trains seats were booked. the mayor of london, sadik khan, says he understands people will want to get away for christmas and stick to those plans to go and see their families, but he is urging them to stick to the new rules and stay at home. unless you have been self isolating for ten days and you are sure that you haven't got the virus, you may be taking that virus with you may be taking that virus with you from london to your mum and dad and elderly relations, and you know what? we now have their vaccine being rolled out. we can see light at the end of the tunnel. how are you going to feel if you pass on the virus to an end early relation, someone you love, virus to an end early relation, someone you love, his life may be long and fruitful because of the vaccine, and you pass the virus on to them? the advices that you cannot

leave our area now because you would be breaking the rules, but even if you could, please don't. it is interesting to see what people think of the new restrictions. there was an opinion poll carried out yesterday after the press conference. more than 70% of people said they thought these new restrictions in tearful when needed, and 78% of people, the mass —— the vast majority said they would have to change their christmas plans, i'm sure that comes as no surprise for most people. only about 11% said they intended to break the regulations. the netherlands have banned passenger flights from the uk from this morning. flights were stopped as of 6am after the country detected its first case of the highly—contagious variant of coronavirus that's surging through southern england. the dutch government said it would join other eu countries in exploring ways to limit its further spread across europe.

anna holligan has this update from the hague. the decision by the dutch government has made almost immediately after the british prime minister revealed the rapid rise of cases in and around london was due to this mutant strain of the virus. the new variant is thought to spread more quickly and also be harder to detect. it is not thought to be more deadly. the dutch government said that sampling here had also revealed that one case of this new variant, so they are now investigating who that individual is and how they became infected and whether there are in other individual cases beyond that one. they haven't ruled out additional travel bans that would affect ferries and trains between the two countries. there are also talking about potentially restricting travel between the uk even further due to the rapid rate of infection coming from this mutant

strain of the virus. police in scotland say they will not be setting up roadblocks to enforce a christmas travel ban announced yesterday by nicola sturgeon. the first minister said a ban on travel to the rest of the uk will apply over the festive period. mainland scotland is to be put into lockdown from boxing day for at least three weeks. let's get more on the travel restrictions applying to people in tea rful restrictions applying to people in tearful areas. simon common with all of this breaking yesterday with boris johnson's announcement, then we saw a mad rush to the railway stations. absolutely, you will be aware that this morning grant shapps has said that transport police are going to be deployed. i can tell him exclusively that i have just been to have a good look round waterloo

station, normally the busiest station, normally the busiest station in britain, and staff were easily outnumbering passengers there. people were not travelling at all. there is an awful lot of upset in the railway travel industry about the way people were effectively given a window of five or six hours, and in particular for given a window of five or six hours, and in particularfor people given a window of five or six hours, and in particular for people leaving london on long distance journeys. and in particular for people leaving london on long distancejourneys. we have seen those extraordinary images of the chaos and confusion taking place in places like london st pancras going on the midland flying to nottingham and derby and so on. a less secure environment is very difficult to environment. and they will be going into tears i2 and three and saying hang on we have just exported thousands of people coming from the most dangerous area, and they are very upset too. but yes, there will be british transport police at hubs ensuring safeguarding is the idea. in fact, obviously,

they are going to be making sure, i think, that people are not tempted to make unnecessary journeys. think, that people are not tempted to make unnecessaryjourneys. and of course, as from now, alljourneys within tier 4 which are not connected with work, education, compassionate reasons, are simply not allowed. as i mentioned a little earlier, police in scotland are saying now they will not be setting up saying now they will not be setting up roadblocks to enforce nicola sturgeon's christmas travel ban. extraordinary that we might even be talking about police roadblocks on the border between england and scotland. it most certainly is. it isa scotland. it most certainly is. it is a reminder of these extraordinary times. however, the first minister... her words have been reported as a travel ban between scotla nd reported as a travel ban between scotland and the three other nations of the united kingdom. it is not. it isa of the united kingdom. it is not. it is a presumption against travel

except the essential purposes. trains running from inverness and edinburgh and elsewhere in scotland are continuing their services because there will be people, for whatever reason, whether it's to do with work and caring responsibilities will still be travelling. of course, the crucial thing is, and this is talking very much outbound from london, the many tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of people who four weeks ago was suddenly told, ok, we've got these five days of christmas easing, they all went out and book their trains. i'm afraid those journeys can no longer go ahead. you will be able to get either rebook or a refund. the airlines incidentally is being very gent no s. easyjet is saying that if you are in tearful and you have booked between now and the 31st of december you can get a full refund. flights from the

netherlands have now been cancelled because of this new variant of the coronavirus. europe are very worried about it. obviously, that is what has prompted the prime minister is's drastic action. countries are worried that we might export that. it isa worried that we might export that. it is a really serious issue because the europeans basically don't want this new strain brought in. there are going to be discussions later on this morning, may be taking place already between the dutch and other eu nations, just on the flight ban between them uk and the netherlands is having a devastating effect. british airways, nine flights counselled from heathrow. klm has cancelled flights from various airports. that is going to be can —— thatis airports. that is going to be can —— that is going to affect people coming back to the uk from amsterdam

schiphol, a key european hub. people are being advised to explore other options of getting back to the uk if they have to travel. if you are not in tearful. you are curiously allowed to go to heathrow or luton to fly as long as you are just embarking on an international journey and not hanging around. thank you very much indeed. in the us warehouse workers are packing the newly—approved moderna vaccine, ready for it to be sent to thousands of sites. general gus perna, who's leading operation warp speed for the us government, said trucks would start to roll out on sunday. he said shipments would begin to reach health care providers as soon as monday. but he's had to apologise to state

governors, saying he'd made an error estimating the number of doses cleared for shipment. this we had met —— this week many have heard concerns about doses being cut. i want to assure everybody, and i want to take personal responsibility for this miscommunication. i know that is not done much this days, but i am responsible, and i take responsibility for the miscommunication. meanwhile, us senators have reached a compromise in negotiations to approve a nine—hundred—billion dollar package of coronavirus relief measures. the agreement reached between republicans and democrats paves the way for a vote on the stimulus package on sunday. it would provide additional unemployment payments to millions of americans who have lost theirjobs as a result of the pandemic, as well as help for renters and loans to local and state governments.

british mps wa nt want a list published the wages of more than 9 million were paid by the government to the cuts of £46 million. it is said they will not be ideal the uk's brexit transition period is due to end on the 31st of december.

millions of people in england and wales are told to stay at home is tough coronavirus restrictions are enforced. the netherlands bans passenger flights from the uk as it detects its first case of the new covert variant surging through southern england. in all tearful areas in england nonessential businesses i being forced to close. businesses in scotla nd forced to close. businesses in scotland on boxing day. let's talk to humphrey cobbold, the chief executive of pure gym — the uk's largest gym operator. they've had to close 105 of their sites as new restrictions

came in to force across england and wales. how difficult has it been for you to do that? it must be another blow for you and your industry? we are facing a particularly bleak winter in our industry after what has been a particularly difficult 2020. i'm nevertheless very proud of what have teams have done in the industry. we have closed within six hours of the prime minister's announcement yesterday. we have had to furlough probably around thousands of staff and will have to continue the process next week and probably in scotla nd process next week and probably in scotland as well on christmas eve and boxing day. we have done the very best we can in line with the instructions that we were given by the government yesterday. clear instructions. do you think they were the right instructions, because there are a thousand are —— there are people who think that exercise

is crucial in terms of mental health in terms of defeating this virus. we have outlined very clearly to the government that our gyms are a safe place to work and a safe place to work out. we have done an extraordinary job work out. we have done an extraordinaryjob in an managing attendance etc, so we are very confident that they are safe. we look forward to working with the government over the next few weeks to underscore that safety and hopefully get gyms open as soon as possible. there is no doubt in my mind. i have been speaking to government a lot over the past few weeks, and the situation has come up on them very rapidly. they obviously saw some data towards the end of last week that they didn't like at all and last week that they didn't like at allandi last week that they didn't like at all and ifeel last week that they didn't like at all and i feel they have last week that they didn't like at all and ifeel they have had last week that they didn't like at all and i feel they have had to take those decisions. we haven't argued with them about them but we are asking them to work with us to get gyms open, which are essential

services to millions of people. it is quite heart—rending the e—mails and messages that i get from members asking us to keep working hard with governments to get, with the governments to get, with the government and authorities, to get the gyms reopened because of people's physical and mental well—being. that is certainly what we'll trying to do. what do you think is the future of your industry? can you survive? think is the future of your industry? can you survive7|j think is the future of your industry? can you survive? i don't deny it is very tough. we are a strong business and we have had ourselves we capitalise. we have worked very hard to do that. but this is a tough situation. by the end of january this this is a tough situation. by the end ofjanuary this pandemic will have because doesn't hundred and £50 million. a huge sum of money. we need to manage ourselves very carefully a nd need to manage ourselves very carefully and need further help from the government to get to the other side. we need help from landlords who are still not coming to the table was suitable sharing and pain

sharing mechanisms with us, so we really need that to come together in the new yearfor really need that to come together in the new year for the really need that to come together in the new yearfor the industry really need that to come together in the new year for the industry to really need that to come together in the new yearfor the industry to be able to survive and serve people with the essential services in the future. very good to talk to you. good luck as well. let's get more omnipotent political reaction to yesterday's announcement that affected so many people millions of people in the south and south—east of england. let's speak to our political correspondentjessica parker. a lot of the papers talking about how borisjohnson has cancelled christmas is the ultimate scrooge bit he is not an the one who has introduced the new variant. yet we

have had a lot of news about this new variant of the virus that was spreading very rapidly throughout the south and south—east. but that thatis the south and south—east. but that that is what he was saying, but he brought in these new curves and other restrictions have been brought in in scotland and wales. he said he did not want to cancel christmas, he thought that would be inhuman, but these new restrictions are in place andi these new restrictions are in place and i think one of the questions now would be of course how long will they be in place for, and it is something that has been put to their health secretary matt hancock this morning. there has had to be a luck and forcing swayed of england because of a new strain seen here and in other countries around the world in order to save lives. we are saying that we don't know how long these measures are going to be in place. it may be some time until we can get the vaccine going. that is not an easy thing to say. these things are not straightforward. i

totally understand how people are frustrated at the situation and disappointed. of course i do. but they are also... i'lljust finish my answer thank you. people are feeling crass, frustrated and in many cases angry, and the reason that we all have to come together to get through this is because collectively we all face the same enemy, and now, with this new strain, it is a more difficult task than it was. that was manhattan —— that was matt hancock their health secretary. just how much criticism as the government coming underfrom much criticism as the government coming under from its much criticism as the government coming underfrom its own backbenchers who are not happy about the new restrictions? there are conservative mps that are deeply unhappy about the new restrictions, particularly in the sense that they wa nt to particularly in the sense that they want to say over it. they mainly wa nt to want to say over it. they mainly

want to see parliament recalled in order to vote on these measures. matt hancock has said this morning that there won't be voting to january, so not for some time yet. something he also said this morning, andi something he also said this morning, and i think he is trying to make the argument that they have to act as the virus is out of control. he suggested that on the andrew marr programme this morning that the virus is not under control at the moment. we werejust virus is not under control at the moment. we were just hearing there as well the suggestion that these new restrictions could last for some time until potentially the vaccine arrives in large numbers. of course, it's already been deployed at the moment so later in the year next year around easter time, lots of people will have been vaccinated by then, over 65 57 vulnerable people. just briefly, a lot of the people —— a lot of the papers talking about borisjohnson a lot of the papers talking about boris johnson and how a lot of the papers talking about borisjohnson and how uncomfortable he looked during the briefing in

downing street when he had to deliver such terribly bad news to millions of people. yes. no politician wants to go forward and say to the people that they can't celebrate christmas on the way that they had planned. nicola sturgeon, they had planned. nicola sturgeon, the first men minister in scotland said it made her want to cry what she was announcing yesterday. i think the timing is particularly difficult for some politicians. they made these agreements back in november, and they have had to row back over back over it over the past few days saying the past few days saying that viruses change. the millions of people now, they are waking up with a difficult new reality again. again, this happens with the coronavirus and they are having to rethink their plans. thank you very muchjust having to rethink their plans. thank you very much just parker. before we go, let's show you some pictures of a violent confrontation that took

place at a zoo in russia. on one side was a panda called ru yi, on the other was a snowman. zoo keepers in moscow used it as a test for the animal, placing carrots and branches in its body. ru yi used his formidable martial arts to destroy the snowman, and was then able to eat his dinner. you are watching bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with matt taylor. hello, big billowing clouds, which could offer sundry heavy showers that time. every some parts of scotla nd that time. every some parts of scotland and eastern england there could be very few showers throughout the day. some of you will save not largely dry, completely dry. in southern counties of england and in the west that's where ray will be the west that's where ray will be the heaviest, but expect there will be some bigger gaps between showers throughout the afternoon. strongest winds in the west of scotland. that

will make it rather cool at around seven or eight celsius. into this evening and overnight, showers will fade for a time, over scotland and northern ireland that is. temperatures can dip down to two or three celsius. particularly in the south there will be more persistent rain moving in. brands could be saturated and river levels high at the moment. notice here is where the mildest air will be wrapped around this area of low pressure, and strongest winds to the east and south of that. they could be some cooler conditions here denoted by the blue colours. they're going to try and fight their way back as it pushes eastwards. in england and wales the rain could be heavy at times. turning a bit betterfor awhile and northern ireland and eventually in some southern and eastern parts of scotland but showers frequent in scotland throughout and reaching higher ground because here is where the cold est of ground because here is where the

coldest of the weather be. 13 to 15 celsius across the southern counties. that north—south split there for tuesday with more rain across the southern counties. the further south you are the as we go into sunday. the on thursday, most places becoming drier again, much places becoming drier again, much places becoming drier again, much places becoming colder as well. that will lead to a chilly night to take us will lead to a chilly night to take us into christmas morning, with a widespread thrust across england and wales. there will be a few showers dotted around in the morning, but for most, ok, it won't be a white christmas, but it could be a very 00:28:45,065 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 sunny one.