would have made sure we would do the job properly. the kremlin is continually denying the russian state had anything to do with the poisoning of their most vocal critic. thank you, steve, from this is bbc news — these are the latest headlines moscow. in the uk and around the world. soldiers from the british army will again partner up with ambulance teams in wales to help deal with the "extreme pressure" on their service during talks are taking place to end the coronavirus pandemic. the welsh ambulance the french travel ban on people service said more coming from britain. than 90 soldiers will be re—enlisted around 1,500 lorry drivers have more than 1500 lorry drivers to drive its vehicles from wednesday spent a second night in their cabs this is bbc news. to support teams responding waiting at the port of dover. to emergency callouts, are still stuck in kent, just as they did during the first these are the latest lockdown in april. headlines in the uk wales was put into another lockdown over fears the new strain and around the world. of coronavirus might testing of some sort on sunday with its latest seven—day spread to the continent. is part of the discussions talks are taking place to end covid—19 case rate now at 623 cases 650 lorries are backed up that the transport secretary the french travel ban on the m20, with another is having with his counterparts on people coming from the uk. per 100,000 people and rising, 873 in a lorry park. in france right now. putting increased strain around 1,500 lorry drivers have getting those tests up spent a second night in their cabs and running, you know, waiting to cross the channel. on the country's health services. mandatory testing of drivers can happen relatively quickly. drivers say they were could allow the border to reopen. testing of some sort containing the spread our correspondent tomos is part of the discussions of the new variant of given no warning. that the transport secretary coronavirus in britain — is having with his counterpart a top government advisor warns in france right now. morgan is in cardiff. tougher restrictions will be needed it was so difficult for us. we are road hauliers say frustrated drivers in more parts of england. do you have any more details about are being offered little no travel ban between britain tired, disappointed and afraid. we what they are doing? one of the don't know what to do. refreshment, and toilet and northern ireland — but travellers will be asked britain's interior minister says things they will be doing is to help facilites are difficult. a testing regime could bring an end to the chaos. it's terrible. drive the ambulances around wales. as i said, if i knew

to self—isolate on arrival. testing of some sort they will be stationed at the is part of the discussions one day before that... that the transport secretary is having with his counterparts busiest centres across wales, in france right now. hey, guys, i don't know, cardiff, swansea, south wales, areas europe, uk, the borderwill getting those tests up close in one day, i would we wa nt we want to hear, details of how to and running, you know, that have been the worst hit by a never have come here. can happen relatively quickly. do you think you'll get home for christmas? number of patients that have contracted coronavirus over the last get in touch with me are on screen. few weeks and months. there's a huge strain on the nhs in this —— we want to hear your thoughts. i'm live at the port of dover which announcement that the army is going the man who murdered british backpacker grace millane in new zealand is named is shut for a second day running and to help the welsh tablet service after a court order banning his coming just after the first minister identification was lifted. a big question for hauliers parked said that the nhs was under more and an ex—us marine convicted up a big question for hauliers parked up is whether they will get home in by russia of spying speaks strain on ever, stretched to its to the bbc about his detention time for christmas. containing the limit with the amount of people who ina labourcamp. we re limit with the amount of people who were ill with coronavirus in wales. spread of the variant of coronavirus in britain. we will speak to a 2300 hospitalised, receiving scientist monitoring the mutation. treatment. it comes on the day that the ambulance service has called on wales has recorded 4000 deaths of the army to help in wales as cases people who have died of coronavirus. rise. the man who murdered the case rate in wales, the average, hello and welcome if you're watching british cases rise. over 600 per 100,000. there are now backpacker grace millane in the uk or around the world. in new zealand is named after a court order banning his identification was lifted. over 600 per 100,000. there are now russian opposition figure over 100 to 100,000, which is why alexei navalny says he tricked the government put wales into a talks are continuing to try to enter security agents into revealing

details of his attempted lockdown before christmas. they say the french ban on people coming from assassination, including that the poison was in his underpants. we speak to an investigator the french ban on people coming from the uk following the weekend's that they've confirmed that it was announcement about the spread of the who listened in to the revelations. almost entirely down to the decision new coronavirus variant. that this new strain, 28% of tests the french government says it will announce measures today that will allow transport links with britain to resume and trade hello and welcome if you're they were getting back were positive to flow across the channel again. watching in the uk borisjohnson and president macron or around the world. spoke yesterday following france's that this strain and realistically, decision to close its border after growing concern about talks are continuing to try to end the french ban the new variant of coronavirus. up lorry drivers in kent had to spend on people coming from the uk that this strain and realistically, up to 60% had contracted the disease a second night sleeping following the weekend's announement about the spread with this new strain, nhs workers in their vehicles waiting of new coronavirus variant. the french government says it for the border with france will announce measures today that to reopen. themselves with illness. it really yesterday the prime minister said will allow transport links needed the army to coming to help there were 150 lorries with britain to resume and trade waiting in kent to cross to flow across the channel again. back to the continent, the nhs, which, as the welsh but the home secretary has confirmed borisjohnson and president macron government had said, is struggling that figure is actually over 1,500. at this time. thank you forjoining spoke yesterday following france's from cardiff. —— the prime minister said there decision to close its border after growing concern about we re —— the prime minister said there were around 170 lorries. the new variant of coronavirus. lorry drivers in kent had to spend 0peration brock, which was initially a second night sleeping the man who murdered british developed to ease post—brexit backpacker grace millane congestion, has been implemented. in their vehicles waiting in new zealand has been named for the border with france after a court order banning his to reopen. the eu has co—ordinated its response identication was lifted. and member states are pressing the courtjudgement also revealed 28—year—old jesse kempson has for uk arrivals to be tested yesterday, the prime minister said been convicted of sex attacks on two more women. there were 150 lorries in february, he was jailed for the virus before waiting in kent to cross for a minimum of 17 years for killing miss millane entering their countries. back to the continent, in his hotel room in auckland in december 2018.

retailers say there's plenty of food but the home secretary has confirmed our correspondent in sydney, in the supply chain that figure is actually over 1,500. phil mercer, gave us this update. operation brock, which was initially and supermarkets for christmas. developed to ease post—brexit jesse kempson has been revealed as a serial sexual however, they warn that, congestion, has been implemented. predator for the first time. the eu has co—ordinated unless the french border its response and member is re—opened today, there will be states are pressing for uk arrivals we can report he was found guilty disruption to supplies to be tested for the virus of raping another british woman before entering their of fresh produce by countries. in auckland in new zealand just 18 the end of the week. months before he killed retailers say there's plenty grace millane. the uk's of food in the supply chief scientific adviser is warning chain and supermarkets the new variant is now "everywhere" and that more areas may for christmas. however, they warn he was also found guilty need to enter tier 4. that unless the french sir patrick vallance says lockdown border is re—opened today, measures "need to be there will be disruption to supplies increased in some places, of fresh produce by the end of terrorising a former girlfriend. in due course, not reduced". of the week. and northern ireland's executive has the uk's chief scientific grace millane went missing voted against introducing a travel adviser is warning ban from england, the new variant is now "everywhere" and that more areas may in december 2018 on the eve scotland and wales. need to enter tier four. of her 22nd birthday, with more on what's happening at the border, here's our transport correspondent, sir patrick vallance says lockdown and this man's identity was measures "need to be suppressed after he was convicted caroline davies increased in some places, of killing her so that those other trials could proceed without any —— we have some pictures of the in due course, not reduced". fear of being prejudiced, lorry cues from our helicopter in and northern ireland's executive has the lusty moment. this is in the voted against introducing a travel but we can now identify this man, ban from england, his appeal against his sentence cou nty of and conviction for killing the lusty moment. this is in the scotland and wales. county of kent, this is approaching grace millane has been dismissed, the port of dover, they are stacked we've actually just got some as you say he is serving a minimum up, mile upon mile on the m20 pictures of those lorry queues in from our helicopter. sentence of 17 years in prison. towards dover. varying reports about you can see the long lorry queues grace millane's family has

released a statement saying the facilities to drivers in those this morning. as you can see, they're stacked they did not think of this man, up for mile upon mile on the m20 towards dover. caps. so with more on what is so, with more on what's they do not speak its name, happening at the border, happening at the border, here is our here's our correspondent simonjones simon, how is it there at the corresponded simonjones. they prefer to remember grace millane as a young girl he went out to see the world, so another disturbing chapter moment? girl who went out to see the world, —— our correspondents. so another disturbing chapter as you can see, lorries pretty much parked everywhere. the lorries parked up here in the in this awful story of a young woman we have had an update from who travelled to new zealand the home secretary this morning. ce ntre the lorries parked up here in the centre of the town. that just priti patel says the latest figures the lorries parked up here in the centre of the town. thatjust behind and was murdered by a man me. this is a slip road. there are who strangled her, put her body show 650 lorries are currently into a suitcase and buried it parked up on the m20, lorries all the way down there. this another 873 have been moved to the former manston is one of the main lanes leading to on the outskirts of auckland. airport site in kent. look around here, lorries the port of dover and the lorries parked on the side road, let's return to our top story — this road is the main entrance parked up there too. in terms of where talks are continuing to try to the port of dover, and end the french ban on people lorries parked here too. official figures from the government, they told us this coming from the uk. i suppose the only saving grace it follows the weekend's morning that around 650 lorries announcement about the spread is they have a nice view of new coronavirus variant. parked up on the end 20 motorway the ban on freight between of the white cliffs of dover, the uk and france has hit but little comfort really when many leading to the eurotunnel and also hauliers across europe. have been stuck in their lorry cabs those with perishable goods to the ports. and then they said are particularly at risk. for the last two days and no another 873 were parked up at a big i'm joined now by daniel bimbi in modena, italy. certainty of when this will end. he is the commercial director with export firm fruvex which sells airfield, and now—defunct airfield i know you have spoken to many lorry fruit and vegtables to the uk. drivers this morning, what have in kent. but, the reality is that they told you about the situation for them, what facilities they have the ones who are in official parking daniel, nice to see you. do you have while they wait in their cabs?

spaces. in dover, if you drive lorries stuck in dover right now? i think hauliers are used to delays, around, people are parked all along yes, we have, unfortunately. quite a used to spending nights in their cabs, that is not unusual. the seafront. car parks are full of few. how are they doing? they are but what they find frustrating vans too. so, the official figure, they do not know when this will end, complaining. complaining that they cannot move. it is not good. are and for many of them being hauliers it's difficult but an estimate on it but certainly lots and lots of based in the eu and other european people are caught up in this they sleeping in their tracks? yes, countries, where they will get home disruption. simon, what's the they sleeping in their tracks? yes, they are. as all the drivers are. expectation of a decision between and if they will get home they are sleeping in their trucks. the eu, particularly an boris they are sleeping in their trucks. for christmas, because the talk johnson. we know those talks are they are sleeping in their trucks. taking place at the moment. we know they are complaining that they are is that they may have to undergo being abandoned. there is no one coronavirus testing before giving them food or drink or being allowed back into france, there have been conversations between the british prime minister anything like that. what would you if that is to happen it will be a huge logistical operation and his french counterpart. they are say to the french and british when we are talking about governments right now who are in potentially thousands of drivers, you often have to wait a couple said to be going well but we are talks? i would say that they need to of days or longerfor test find an agreement some way. it is results so the clock waiting to hear a definitive outcome from those, but what we are is ticking towards christmas. expecting is potentially, france not a valid reason to stop trucks because of a virus. the virus is not in terms of facilities, might say, the border can be open if you are parked places like here, but if anyone wants to cross from there are pretty much none, people say they do not the uk overto have access to toilets, but if anyone wants to cross from the uk over to france, they will have to have a negative coronavirus carried by goods, by fruit and they have had to go into town to try to find them. test and that will be a huge in terms of food it is very

difficult, some hauliers had logistical operation, because when said their only provisions as part you are talking about hundreds, vegeta bles carried by goods, by fruit and vegetables or any kind of food. it of the emergency planning is a cereal bar. potentially thousands of lorry is brought by people. would testing drivers being caught up in this, the drivers to be a good solution? so pretty difficult that's thousands of tests that will circumstances for them. need to be done and often, the they have asked me when it will end, the drivers do not get very much in results may take a day or two to how do we get home? contact with people when they the answer, for them, travel. because when they unload the come through. so potentially, some they simply do not know. thank you, simon jones. of them, even if they can get trucks, they simply go on a bee. tested, may not make it back in time they do not get out from their for christmas. lorry drivers are cabin, so they stay there and they we don't know how we get to the asking where you can get a test just collect documents on the way christmas. there is a lot of from. it's possible they may back from an office. from a window. introduce them at the airport side soido back from an office. from a window. where there are hundreds of drivers so i do not think there is a point trackage writers working for three but others, they are asking how is for testing the virus. so far they weeks, four weeks, trackage writers working for three weeks, fourweeks, i do trackage writers working for three this going to happen? how would i weeks, four weeks, i do not know how have never been tested and we have long they have been a natural get this negative test? how would i seen ups have never been tested and we have seen ups and downs of the virus particular from all over europe to get this negative test? how would i anyway. it is not due to the drivers the uk. we arejust get home. our correspondent gavin particular from all over europe to the uk. we are just three days for carrying the virus. what is all this the uk. we are just three days for lee is in brussels for us with more the moment but luckily we came on uncertainty doing to your company? sunday and then we had the border is decisions about closing the border. we area uncertainty doing to your company? we are a bit worried because of the closed, that is crazy. if we knew that, we would never be here. what this is in force for that 48—hour period so there's no chance situation. if the uk... if the that there will be an early out, about the idea of getting tested?” we've been briefed on the french side. drivers and the lorries cannot get

back to europe because of the french have no idea. i don't know, there is ban, it means that we will eventually not be able to find any 1500 fans here injosiah stacked, transport going out of italy any the deputy europe minister says there will be an announcement today there is no service to say, hey, about how they stop these measures more because they will not want to and how they start to reopen the border. come to the uk any more. this is a wait here, you need to move. the one thing they had said with certainty is that they will be asking for coronavirus tests, rapid coronavirus tests bit worrying, yes. how will you get for freight drivers. test, i don't know, we don't know. your produce to england? that is a good question. that is the only studio: just one of the many hundreds of lorry drivers stuck at practical way for getting fruit and the moment in kent, talking to our vegeta bles practical way for getting fruit and vegetables to england is by corresponded simonjones. refrigerated lorries. there is not the moment in kent, talking to our corresponded simon jones. 0ur political correspondent iain watson and is it possible to do it any valid alternatives. not for the is in westminster. the eu commission as quick as tomorrow? i think that's a big question amount of volume that you take as a and i know the british side are still talking to the french. country, at least. and that would be we have just heard that the french is in westminster. the eu commission head of supermarkets, is expected to come up with one of the big chains, disastrous for your company, technical recommendations on how to he was talking on french tv saying presumably. yes, definitely. our that they've got trucks stuck coordinate the flow of goods between on the uk side of the border the uk under the eu nations, so company is between 70—80% dedicated with all sorts of fish and seasonal seafood produce, to the uk and irish markets for a there will be some movement later scallops, langoustine, and we will probably get a formal monkfish and he said they will be definite shortages in french supermarkets ahead of christmas, and we will probably get a formal and later this afternoon but i tomorrow, christmas eve is well. good number of years. if we are thought it was worth talking about he's saying that the borders unable to export to the uk, it will desperately need to be reopened. that first and foremost. the talks the point is that the pressure isn't

have a significant impact on our going on between transport secretary just on the uk side at the moment. the french industry putting pressure grant shapps and specifically his company and on our business. in french opposite number, even if there is an agreed eu wide approach, on its own government too. terms of the next few days, do you think there will be shortages here? and don't forget most eu countries, letsjoin ian yes, if the ban continues and they i think 22 of 27, had some trouble lets join ian watson letsjoin ian watson in lets join ian watson in westminster. what you hearing about when we might do not find an agreement of getting restrictions on people coming from the trucks back to europe. yes, getan what you hearing about when we might the uk, nonetheless it is up to get an announcement about diver? we there can be a shortage, especially might getan get an announcement about diver? we might get an announcement later individual nations to decide whether today, but just because they want to impose bans on the might get an announcement later today, butjust because there's a of the perishable food types. for grounds of health, that is what movement in talks doesn't mean they france has done, when it comes to will be a movement in freight. certainly, what i'm hearing from example, freight. in order to less that it of the perishable food types. for exa m ple, lettuce of the perishable food types. for example, lettuce or raspberries, government sources is that they blueberries and strawberries. that looks like some agreement to a testing regime will have to be an won't be able to put testing in is presumably the key thing, about place today. they think it will be place and priti patel till the bbc the perishables, because people have difficult to achieve and they need a been trying to build up their stock, earlier she thought it could be but you cannot do that with relatively quick and earlier, the plan to get hauliers tested and that perishable items. you can do it to a british home secretary to test it is likely to take at least until would be the new normal and it would be key to unlocking the blockade at tomorrow. then the question that's certain extent. if for example, if been rated in negotiations —— you're talking about apples, pears dover. the transport secretary will and kiwis that we are exporting at speak later today, no doubt, the moment, you have more of a shelf raised, what kind of tests are being dover. the transport secretary will life because these products last speak latertoday, no doubt, on updates on progress. testing as part more than a raspberry, of course. of our new normal and i would argue required? is it the rapid lateral it is not the only thing the french our customers have tried to do a bit flow test that might miss the new

authorities looking for. of stockpiling in fridges, but this variant, or is it going to be the will not last long. you need fresh you know, the fact of the matter more traditional test where results is we've always worked, i think, arrivals of fruit in order not to be quite constructively throughout this can take between 2a—a8—hour is? crisis, throughout the coronavirus crisis, to keep goods travelling and to keep flow at the border, that's been the subject of and we've worked, actually, able to have shortages. we need to negotiation. we don't know what's in a very mutually beneficial way been agreed, if anything, with the leave it there, but thank you very to do that throughout this year. much forjoining us. good luck over french government. if they are going more broadly, looking at this new the next few days. thank you for for the longer test then, clearly, inviting me. variant of coronavirus and concerns it's going to take longer to clear about its spread, as executive the backlog but even if they go from furlough articulated by the let's get more now on the new variant of the virus spreading a rapid test, the road hauliers' government's chief scientific rapidly across southern england. adviser yesterday, sir patrick on monday evening, england's chief association has said that with new scientific adviser warned more areas vallance, are we expecting to hear may be placed under the toughest customs arrangements that had to be something imminently about the put in place, deal or no deal, with tier 4 restrictions in order to prevent it spreading further. possible extension of the tightest christina pagel is a professor the eu, from the 1st of january, of operational research restrictions? —— concerns about its at university college london and a member of the independent sage then there is likely to be delays with the new customs procedures group of scientists scrutinising badge, as articulated. not the government's handling of covid. eminently, but i think we will hear she says the rise in a nyway with the new customs procedures anyway and then when you add onto it. when we look at the word sir that the burden of all hauliers being tested then you will see not cases is concerning. patrick vallance i think we are left out that in some areas restrictions just delays, but further delays in iam afraid i am afraid it is not good news. i would have to be strengthened rather mean, just looking at the latest than weakened, when he made it clear delivering fresh produce. so, an regional data, which was up to about the virus was already present in some parts of the country outside of the 17th of december. tier 4 areas

london and the south—east weather announcement likely today, but probably no movement on any freight almost doubled in that week. but tier 4 restrictions have been imposed. i suspect we had seen out of the country until at least what is really concerning is that discussions with local authorities tomorrow. we are hearing a call took tier 4 is surrounded entirely by and it might be the government place last night between boris tier 4 is surrounded entirely by tier 2 regions, and we are two areas decides against a pretty grim johnson and the president of the eu. around tier 4 have also doubled in backdrop ahead of christmas, with many people having to change there any details about what they that week compared to tier 2 regions christmas plant up a last—minute, discussed? fishing? what's in the north and south west which perhaps a not want to get even worse have gone up by about 50%, which is news before december 25 but i would interesting is that when we are not good news either but it does getting disagreements over future expect over the next seagate —— few mean that we'll be having tier 2 is trade deal, there's an agree to days it is virtually inevitable that some areas would be told that not working. what are you advising? disagree over the call. this do you think you're too should become tier 4 or the whole country restrictions are being increased, confirmation a call to place but other areas will go into tier 4 in should be in tier 4? i think the due course. there are mps and boris downing street are saying that they whole country needs to be in tier 4 are not aware of the call. it's been because we have to get a head of it. johnson's party not at all pleased we need to get ahead of it and right with how this is being handled, they described elsewhere as a secret call now we are behind it. hospital wa nted with how this is being handled, they wanted a vote in parliament and but it the tea leaves are in admissions are shooting up in the parliament to be recalled to discuss discussion then, clearly, they are south, and they are not yet in the this because they are suspicious north, and we do not want to see it that effectively we are seeing a striving to get a brexit deal over happen everywhere. if we shut down national lockdown imposed via the the line before the deadline on back door. there will be a december the 31st. i would be now, it should stop that new variant retrospective vote in january where surprised if fishing wasn't being becoming dominant in those areas and i expect some descent to be discussed. there have been reports thatis becoming dominant in those areas and that is what we have to try to do. articulated on the measures the

from brussels that the uk has tabled it is the doubling of the rate in government introduces, but i would a new offer on fishing to break the expect that well before the vote london, and the south—east because deadlock. some of the things that of the new variant, can we put it ta kes expect that well before the vote takes place, we will have other have been put into the public areas and tier 4 and there are down to that now? it is not... there domain, for example, a five year active discussions, i suspect, going transition period with new on around whitehall on that issue. is not the definitive proof yet, but arrangements phased in. again, the government said it will keep there is a lot of different types of things under constant review but if whitehall sources are making it the data is going on the wrong circumstantial evidence suggesting clear they do not recognise the it would be. if it quacks like a direction than the tier 4 area, i duck and walks like a duck, then it specifics of that. nonetheless, it isa looks as though both sides are duck and walks like a duck, then it is a duck. whether we know it think, will spread out of london and hundred percent, we should act as if the south—east probably by the end trying to move towards each other on it is true. if it is true and we do of the f. thank you, iain watson at one of the major stumbling blocks to not act, then we are in trouble.“ getting a deal. we're also been told is an emotional time for people and westminster. that there are other issues still so is an emotional time for people and so much botox or politics going on, the french government is saying outstanding, for example, how much eight will allow links that will would you agree with matt hancock the can subsidise businesses and who says it is going out of control? help trade to slow across the industries in each country and whether this is fair between the eu it is. it could not be worse timing, channel. in the uk and the uk side certainly it is such bad timing that this felt it was imbalanced against the trait has become dominantjust as we —— help trade flows. uk so they will be other things to sort out. it seems the talks will are heading into christmas. it is 0ur correspondent gavin lee is in brussels. so there's no chance that suddenly, incredibly sad. i do not want to continue but they may happen after we're being briefed from the french spend christmas here on my own side, there will be an early out, either, but it is something we have an early end to this blockage. to do, especially now we have the

they are saying, well, clement beaune, who's the christmas break. it will need to vaccine. that is the one ray of the deputy europe minister is saying there will be an announcement today be ratified after the 29th but at hope, really. and wejust on how they stop these measures, how they start to reopen the border. the moment, that deal is not yet one thing they said with certainty vaccine. that is the one ray of hope, really. and we just have to hold on until we can get it out to is that they will be there. but it's interesting getting asking for covid tests, discussions at a very high level at people. so many of us have got rapid covid tests and proof of negative testing before people leave. this crucial stage. children at home and we are worried so that means for freight drivers, about schools starting again, what is it possible to do it as quick as tomorrow? it all means. what are your thoughts i think that's a big on what should happen injanuary? question at the moment, and i know that the british side are still talking to the french. we've just heard actually of a french head of supermarkets it's really worrying. there seems to at one of the big supermarket be indication that it now spreads chains, systeme u, saying on tv that they've got cheques stuck on the uk more easily among children than the normal variant. so that means it is side of the border with all sorts going to be more problematic to have schools open in the way they were of fish and seasonal seafood before. but education is so produce, langoustines, scallops, monkfish, for example, which he said there will be important, children in school is so important, children in school is so definitely shortages in french important that i think the supermarkets ahead of christmas, government has to throw everything into the next two or three weeks and we are looking at shortages tomorrow, we are looking try to make schools are safe as at shortages on christmas eve as well, and he is saying in london and the south east, possible, whether that is installing around 17 million people are already desperately that the borders living under the tightest ventilation, thinking about making need to be reopened. tier 4 restrictions. so my point is, ben, but now a warning from mask wearing mandatory for everyone the pressure isn't just the government's chief scientific on the uk side at the moment, adviser that stricter measures over six, which is what they did in french industry is putting pressure are likely to be needed

in more areas of england on its own government too. france. these are not magic bullets, but it is maybe having some years go to try to control the virus. back. we have to really be proactive it is likely that this will grow now and start planning for how we in numbers of the variant can give children an education. in across the country and i think it is likely, therefore, terms of the science and data, is that measures need to be increased some more copy from govan, the eu in some places in due the 2-3 terms of the science and data, is the 2—3 weeks we have got long course, not reduced. enough to collect the data to inform commission is expected to come up just three days before christmas, with a set of technical already many have had to change their plans. i was due to go to my parents' some of these decisions? i think recommendations on how to coordinate place for christmas day, the flow of goods and important but we are not going to be doing that any more. cargo between other nations —— some we were going to have christmas trying... delaying schools by a week more copy from gavin. he says it with six other people in our house and they are not coming now. will such a contact point for the 27 on saturday night, some train stations in london were packed or until mid—january is definitely a other member stated they suddenly good idea. i do not know what had issue with the transportation of experiments they are doing to try as and confirm how this new variant produce if they become stuck at sea, behaves. i am airor rail and confirm how this new variant produce if they become stuck at sea, people tried to get out behaves. iam hoping and confirm how this new variant behaves. i am hoping that a few air or rail crossings and it will weeks will give us a lot more also recommend on how best member of the capital in the last hours before the new information. what is really worrying states can repatriate national tier 4 measures kicked in. as if we find it is spreading trying to get home, but he said at now health officials in manchester and the west midlands further out across the country. so i have said anyone visiting the moment it is not understood it their regions from tier 4 areas and from wales should think we will know in a few weeks if will recommend a current set of self—isolate for ten days. regulations for member states to it comes amid concerns about a particular new variant it has or not. how realistic is this of the virus, which the government follow. and we are just getting on said has led to a surge idea of testing secondary school in new infections. something on the situation with it has 17 key differences children when they get to school? in its genetic makeup —

eurotunnel, buses that eurotunnel the result of random mutations — and roughly half of those changes with the lateral flow tests? yes, are in the spike protein, estimate that 2002 to thousand 500 possibly making it bind to human there have been questions about how cells more effectively. accurate the lateral flow tests are freight vehicles are expected in it is likely to be more band today and again tomorrow —— transmissible because it's and whether that will present a a dominant strain, just now. but that is not only false picture. they are not very dependent on the virus, bosses at eurotunnel estimate that accurate just on it is also dependent on people's behaviour. and so we need to see false picture. they are not very accuratejust on one false picture. they are not very accurate just on one test, so if you between 2000 and 2500. it is for our whether it is the behaviour, have covid, you would only test it is also dependent positive around 50% of the time with on people's behaviour. and so we need to see bbc south is from our bbc south—east whether it is the behaviour, that test. however, if you take political editor. it is human idea whether that was spreading, and that has accounted several tests over a few days, the for all these new infections, of the numbers involved at the now, or whether it chance that you would test negative is really the strain on all of them is really low. there that is easier to transmit potential for disruption and from person to person. basically the chance that will the hope remains that an expanded isa on all of them is really low. there is a way of using them with repeat because by this. so the pressure roll—out of vaccines next year will make all the difference. testing that could help identify will be on to try to sort out but things could well get worse before they get better. children that are positive and take logistics and testing to unblock the jon donnison, bbc news. them out of school. but what it is definitely not good for our things situation. that is of huge interest like care homes when it is used to say you are safe to go and see to our next guest. someone. say you are safe to go and see someone. that is not what it means. the chief executive of biontech it really depends on how they are one of the companies involved in developing coronavirus planning on using it and what they vaccines has said it is not yet are going to do if they get a known if their vaccine positive or negative test. we just protects against the new, 150 tonnes of scottish salmon would more infectious variant of coronavirus that has emerged in britain. wa nted positive or negative test. we just wanted to share with our viewers a normally be crossing to the let's hear what he had to say. chart we have of hospitalisations. what is happening across the uk, we have now you variant and that was continent, we will speak to tavish

scott from an organisation which particularly in tier 4 regions with discovered in the uk. it's a bit people in hospital right now? the represents sun and found that in scotland, it is calling on the uk different. it has nine mutations, government to take swift action to not a single mutation and we don't hospitalisation charts for the south—east, east and london have get freight moving again. put into know if our vaccine is also able to just been on a really, really steep more get freight moving again. put into m o re co ntext get freight moving again. put into more context how important this week provide protection against this new increase since the end of november, is for your business going into the variant. scientifically, it is and we are not seeing that elsewhere eu? you are right, the crucialweek highly likely that immune response yet. but there is no sign of it slowing down yet. what is really running into christmas, equally by this vaccine also can deal with concerning as if you look at the important, the week after christmas, the new virus variants. overall number of people in hospital prime minister boris johnson because french and german consumers, is facing intense pressure to impose in england, it is now at almost a nationwide lockdown, the market place right across as more than forty countries have europe, is absolutely prime banned travellers from the uk, 17,800 people. that is only 1000 in attempts to curb the spread more than we were in april. i of a new coronavirus variant that's suspect that by the end of next production for the salmon farming thought to be up to 70% more week, we will be higher. we are in a industry in scotland and we expose infectious than the original. period of extreme pressure for the government scientific advisors have warned that inaction over nhs and that will not go away for a 150 tonnes a day, 1 million p of the new strain could costs tens while. business every day, 20 trucks of there have been hopes that rapid tests that give results in hours fresh salmon going across the of thousands of lives. channel and batted simply not instead of days could help are not happening. this is a crucial week covered restrictions around the world and get life moving again. as professor emma thomson for the whole year, premium prices is working on the sequencing we heard earlier, they could be used of this covid mutation obtained in the run—up to christmas and monitors the virus. to restore the flow of freight and shejoins me now. and nothing is moving, this is very passengers in and out of the uk

worrying, we need to government to can you explain to us what you are resolve this matter. we were without long delays. but as we have been discussing there are growing doing? viruses are made up of concerns about the accuracy or proposing testing on sunday night proteins in the blueprint for these when we first heard of this crisis inaccuracy of these lateral flow emerging and still nothing is proteins in the blueprint for these proteins is encoded in the rna of tests. this virus, a little bit like our professorjon deeks is a bio—statistician sorted, it is imperative the at the university of birmingham government up their act together and and leader of the independent dna coding makes us behave. we've research network cochrane's covid—19 sort out with french counterparts test evaluation activities told us regime allowing the movement of been tracking the virus in the uk. earlier he believes the lateral flow traders quickly as possible. 20 tests the wrong tests to role out we've sequenced over 150,000 of in schools for mass testing. trucks a day? yes, every night from the tests which we are being asked these viruses now, since earlier in to use, the lateral flow tests, have these viruses now, since earlier in the year and we're watching very scotla nd trucks a day? yes, every night from scotland 20 trucks of fresh salmon not been evaluated in closely what's happening with the would travel to the channel and schoolchildren. they have not been virus and how it changes over time. ci’oss would travel to the channel and cross the channel in order to be in evaluated in university students the french marketplace by fide and normally, i think the key thing when we used it back in december. at about this new variant is that, the university of birmingham, we the french marketplace by fide and the next morning, that is how have been looking at how well it normally, we would expect to see one important the logistics system is worked on picking up cases of covid. or two changes in the virus per and that does not include all the we have unfortunately come to the month that this new variant has other seafood products you mentioned conclusion we have probably missed earlier that come out of scotland. p°pped month that this new variant has p°pp9d up month that this new variant has popped up and actually has 17 60 cases of covid, having found only changes in it which is quite a large it is absolutely fundamental and the two using this test. it is not a fa ct it is absolutely fundamental and the fact that no trade has happened increase and there's been some test which is suited to being used since sunday is really, really concern that we need to look into in people who do not have symptoms. what that means, in terms of the so it is a big concern at the moment difficult for our sector. if i can behaviour of the virus. the other that the plans to roll this out in interrupt, how many chooks do you key thing is that it seems to be schools is using the wrong test. it have sitting stationary around dover transmitting more rapidly, is an accessible test but it is one particularly in the south of england

at the moment, holding scottish which will miss people who have got and, so, we are very rapidly trying salmon? there are not that many less covid. at birmingham, what we do is to figure out what the changes in 110w be retested students who have got salmon? there are not that many less now because most obviously did not leave the central distribution plant the rna mean in terms of the biology in scotland after the closure on negative results from the lateral of the virus. so the most worrying sunday night, we had some held up thing about it is that it's more flow test and we retested them with over the weekend and we have a field the pcr test. from that, we found that are still in that pile down in transmissible, not necessarily more out that we estimate we missed 60 dangerous? that's right. we've seen kent but most of our company is to no signals to suggest this is more stu d e nts out that we estimate we missed 60 students who probably went home from make arrangements to get them out, university with covid. we spent six but since sunday they should have dangerous, however, we are watching days testing, the other question closely over time and also, we need been a normal 20 trucks a night around this is the effort which is to investigate whether a not there going across the channel and that isa required. any university setting, we to investigate whether a not there is a biological reason why this has not happened since sunday and virus seems to be transmitting a had science students and there is no sign of that happening postgraduates to do the testing and little bit more rapidly. for we set up a big laboratory to do it today, on tuesday we are hearing it example, we know one of the changes to test 7000. we found two positives might be available by wednesday, in the spike, which is the projection you see coming out of the having worked for six days. so christmas is on friday, the school is being asked to do this, christmas is on friday, the christmas market now looks like it pirate on your tv screens all the has gone for our sector, we are now there are logistical challenges in time, that's a bit of the virus doing it, but alongside at this test focusing on how quickly we will be is not designed or suited for this recognised by our antibodies which role and the government has not got able to get back into the european is important for controlling the evidence together to actually check marketplace after christmas, that is whether it will work before it is where all our efforts were with the government. we spoke to the affection —— infection. there are being implemented. the studies which been changes in that spike protein, the government have done were done government. we spoke to the government this morning to impress on them the urgency of this issue. one of which is in the area in which by porton down and the university of

oxford. they were done in test entry were you given any reassurances that it binds to the receptor in your centres with symptomatic people. the logistics of the sunday these were data which were released lungs, and therefore we need to know at the beginning of november two us satisfactory testing regimes could be set up very quickly? they are fairly quickly whether or not that all. the evaluation in liverpool is makes the virus a little bit more more helpful because it is being still asking how a testing regime sticky or more likely to infect donein more helpful because it is being done in people who have not got would work, we suggested a testing symptoms. we heard a couple of weeks regime on sunday night are nothing ourselves. we appreciate how simple you are trying to make this for us, ago that they reckon they missed 50% has yet been agreed on that. our emma. is there a reason that in the first days of using that level of frustration is pretty close children could be more susceptible? to boiling point at the moment. in test. we a re in the first days of using that test. we are waiting for you data to well, children have different come from them very soon, which will addition, we need this arrangement give theirfinal come from them very soon, which will to bn place now and i do not know amounts of the ace — two receptor, give their final results on that. it is just give their final results on that. it how long it takes people to search which is the receptor in the lungs isjust gradually coming give their final results on that. it around the table and get things which is the receptor in the lungs is just gradually coming out. at which is the receptor in the lungs which is different from adults. for universities, there was no actual sorted out but has only one cobra testing of the test before we were all asked to use it in that setting. meeting yesterday afternoon when example, if we find, and we haven't this was a problem on sunday night the key thing to realise is that shown this yet, we have to make is quite extraordinary to me. this this test is an imperfect test, is quite extraordinary to me. this predictions based on the sequencing, is an export crisis for the united everybody knows that. its imperfections were mapped out in but we do make those predictions but kingdom, the salmon farming industry we need to back them up with different ways in different is the biggest expo producer in settings. it is absolutely critical laboratory experiments but there that it terms of the uk and yet the settings. it is absolutely critical thatitis settings. it is absolutely critical that it is tested before it is put could be biological reasons why into use. government seems tojust infections might be different in the pfizer—biontech coronavirus terms of the uk and yet the children than adults. this early vaccine could be rolled government seems to just be dragging out within the eu as early as this its feet. 0therwise these warning system you talk about at the sunday after approval marketplaces will not be available very beginning, is it unique to the from the european medicines agency. and then we run into the the amsterdam—based regulator brought the decision forward under post—christmas period and the uk? is that one of the reasons it pressure from eu states,

following the earlier january period, all of which are discovered here and not other emergency approval of the jab very important for export of seafood places? yes. it's unique to the uk. in many other countries. from scotland. tavish scott from the mark lobel reports. we produce more than half of the sequences around the whole of the hope in a bottle for over scottish salmon producers world. we have a very sophisticated 440 million europeans. 0rganisation, thank you very much, early warning system and we've been able to pick up this new variant approval has come following the government says it is working pressure on the regulators, very rapidly and we are doing that urgency to sort out this issue and who were taking a more cautious get the logistics of testing setup. approach than the uk to try and keep us safe. and the us. urged to speed up by eu leaders, u nfortu nately, to try and keep us safe. unfortunately, it's very likely they gave the vaccine other variants have arisen in other royal mail has suspended the green light eight days deliveries to europe — except the irish republic — countries but i just earlier than planned. because of the travel bans. other variants have arisen in other countries but ijust going undetected. i guess, just the final the european medical agency has the firm says it's also experiencing given the pfizer—biontech delays to canada and turkey. thing is that we need to control the meanwhile, the courier company dhl vaccine the nod for all over 16s has stopped all package on condition of a review royal mail has suspended virus with public health measures deliveries to europe — ina year. meanwhile, the courier company dhl has stopped all package and we need to get the vaccine out now europe's politicians are keen deliveries to the uk. to get on the front foot. soon and we need to get the vaccine out soonin and we need to get the vaccine out soon in order to defeat it. thank the government's chief scientific we have, of course, more adviser is warning that tougher you, emma thompson. or less the same amount restrictions are likely to be needed per capita for biontech in more areas of england, to control the new variant of coronavirus. as the uk and we have three sir patrick vallance says further russian opposition politician times more of the moderna vaccine measures may be required to counter alexey navalny survived an assassination attempt that will be approved a likely increase in cases, in the summer, after being poisoned as a result of christmas mixing injanuary than the uk, with the nerve agent novichok. and the more infectious form he, as well as most western so an average eu citizen of the virus needs to be nations, have blamed taken very seriously. the russian security forces. jon donnison has more. he, as well as most western will probably have a better nations, have blamed chance of being vaccinated in london and the south—east, the russian security forces. with the help of the bellingcat than the average uk citizen around 17 million people are already investigative website, living under the tightest who had identifed some of the team by march or february even.

which had been trailing navalny, tier 4 restrictions. he called them up, pretending to be but europe's leaders will face a senior security official the same hurdles as other leaders — like america's but now a warning from investigating the poisoning operation — and got the government's chief scientific a full confession. president—elect — in needing adviser that stricter measures here's a little excerpt to convince a sceptical public are likely to be needed in more areas of england of the safety of the vaccine. from the phone call. there's nothing to worry about. to try to control the virus. how are you feeling? great! it is likely that this will grow what was the main focus? what was in numbers of the variant for some, like 500 of across the country and i think the residents of this the riskiest piece of clothing? it is likely, therefore, new york city nursing home underpants. underpants. the pfizer—biontech job can't that measures need to be increased in some places in due come soon enough. course, not reduced. being very blunt with you, guys, it's been nine a little earlier we spoke months of hell. to the man who sat next to alexey navalny during this phone our staff has been through just three days before christmas, conversation, christo grozev, a tremendous amount. already many have had if you think back to to change their plans. the lead investigator of bellingcat. the horrors of march, i was due to go to my parents' it's definitely the most incredible place for christmas day, april, may, and to finally thing anyone can live through. what receive that support, but we are not going to be doing that recognition, that product that any more. added to the received —— surrealism for our health care heroes we were going to have christmas on the front lines to be first with six other people in our house in line for the vaccine and they are not coming now. programme, it's warmly received. and with multiple vaccines in greater manchester was... at 430 in the morning, there and the west midlands, now in use in america, health officials have said anyone was... at 430 in the morning, there was this phone call and none of us including this moderna one approved just days ago, visiting their regions from tier had slept that night very much and it means front line workers four areas and from wales should and army veterans like these it was in slow motion, and when it ones in boston, massachusetts self—isolate for ten days. happened, i thought i was dreaming are getting another welcome layer of protection it comes amid concerns and thought it could not be

about a particular new variant happening in real—time to pay did as they battle this invisible of the virus, which the government said has led to a surge you decide to call? well, actually, and increasingly infectious killer disease. in new infections. mark lobel, bbc news. the original plan was to only convicted as an american spy, it has 17 key differences confront the suspected poisoners to in its genetic makeup — us—british citizen paul whelan the result of random mutations — is preparing to spend christmas and roughly half of those changes in a russian labour camp are in the spike protein, as talks to negotiate his say, hello, why did you try to kill possibly making it bind to human release have faltered. cells more effectively. in his first detailed me? midway through the call, he interview since his arrest, it is likely to be more transmissible because it's mr whelan has described life a dominant strain, just now. as a "very, very grim existence" said, well, i'm not getting any and called for more to be done to get him out. reaction. we are hanging up. perhaps he's been speaking to but that is not only dependent on the virus, i will call up and pretend to be a the bbc‘s sarah rainsford. it is also dependent it's an old gulag camp. on people's behaviour. and so we need to see top security officer. we had a two it's a very, very kind whether it is the behaviour, minute prep session to work that whether that was spreading, of grim existence. and that has accounted for all these russia calls this man an american new infections, now, out. we decided to call up from the or whether it is really the strain spy, but paul whelan has told me that is easier to transmit he is a political hostage. from person to person. the hope remains that an expanded he's been phoning me roll—out of vaccines next year nonexistent chief of the security from prison to relate his story will make all the difference. council. he was going to call and in detail for the first time. but things could well get worse before they get better. jon donnison, bbc news. ask for a quick report on what went wrong into on, where the poisoning with me now is professor gunther took place. i was determined... schonrich from the institute why did you come of virology in germany, to russia generally? which researches emerging four months, we followed every

infections and epidemics. custody hearing in court. each time, mr whelan instead of putting the phone down, i would insist he was innocent. thought there might be a chance that this guy might be legitimate. in the but the guards didn't want us to talk. very good to have uss, professor. he has now described directly how what do we know about this new first five minutes, he made the he was at this moscow hotel, getting ready for a wedding, variant of coronavirus as it stands? first five minutes, he made the first confession. he kept burning when an old friend him to give him more information dropped by unexpectedly. —— very good to have you with us. and, at the end, i really thought what are the factors we know them? that i had gone through a dream. moments later, at least eight fsb security officers it's probably as unique as the burst into the room. as already mentioned, there are about 70 mutations and many of them experience of living through a novel affect this so—called s protein which is important for the virus to chop poisoning —— novochok get into its host. but it is not poisoning. he went through a lot of clear at the moment whether the high—frequency of this new virus emotion, i think it took him a lot variant is really due to a property of adrenaline to go through it and, of the virus or a change in the at the end, he actually collapsed. a former us marine, paul whelan he went back to his home to have a visited russia six times in all, re st and often posted pictures behaviour of the population, that is he went back to his home to have a rest because he had nothing to say and he couldn't say nothing until we on social media. not clear. so far the data is based it was one of his russian friends met later in the day, and we'll who claimed wondered if it really happened or he'd asked for secret data on behalf

on mathematical modelling, what is was it a dream? was a dream? let's of us military intelligence. lacking is experimental data showing get the thoughts of our moscow that man works for the fsb, with animal experiments that the so we are obscuring his identity. virus can indeed more efficiently correspondence. fascinating conversation a9 passed on from one individual to correspondence. fascinating conversation 49 minutes long what was your reaction when you listen to another. so that is a question at it? you'd be hard-pressed to the moment, but of course we have to be very, very cautious, take it was your reaction when you listen to it? you'd be hard—pressed to come up seriously, and therefore i think the with a more telephone conversation. measures 110w seriously, and therefore i think the measures now are fully in order, nalvany picks up the phone and telephones one of the security agents, alleged to have been part of they have to be taken and we have to the trial itself was this clandestinely hit squad. order closed, top secret. see how the situation further but we were there when paul whelan was sentenced to 16 years. develops. is this variant already to shadow him and to poison him. and so was the us ambassador, elsewhere in europe? i have had who has since driven eight hours quite a fuse questions from viewers then, incredible. 49 minutes. and to visit him in prison. then, incredible. 49 minutes. and there is nothing more that then this man, clearly completely saying why this is not the new i would rather do than give him duped, believing that mr nalvany was a hug and wish him a happy new year variant elsewhere already? there who he said he was, this russian and send him home. ambassador sullivan has now have been reports from denmark, confirmed to me that talks for a political deal are under way security official and, mr nalvany with the russian government. italy and the netherlands that the variant has already arrived, but i have no higher priority in what's able to extract some details about

left of the trump administration the operation to kill him, including with regard to germany so far it has than to advocate for paul and to do the operation to kill him, including the detail that the novochok all we possibly can poisoning seem to have been planted to get him released. ina pairof not been detected. that does not but we haven't been able to come mean the variant has not yet poisoning seem to have been planted in a pair of his underpants. it was also made clear that the dose of to terms that would be reasonable arrived, we have not such a novochok would have been enough to for any us administration. sophisticated genome surveillance as kill him, if the plane he had been flying on hadn't made an emergency the uk. the uk has a very good so this man's fate is entangled landing so quickly. and if the in the dire state of relations system to monitor the genomes of the paramedics on the ground hadn't between moscow and the west. virus and we have to see. it is very acted so quickly. fascinating stuff. i'm being patient and waiting. likely from my point of view that we heard, steve, how difficult it was for nalvany to sit on here that the virus mutation is already in kind of detail. it was only the germany and spreading. we have heard this is entirely commonplace, emergency medical care he'd received that saved his life. i'm wondering in reality, they abducted viruses mutate, but given the what the reaction has been, notjust mr bean on holiday... but paul whelan looks certain from the kremlin, but from others in pandemic we have seen with covid—19, to spend christmas in custody, do you think it is the right russia to this interview? the sewing clothes in his reaction has been as expected. russian labour camp. sarah rainsford, bbc news, moscow. decision to restrict international whenever russian authorities are travel, international movement? accused of anything, whether the outgoing us president certainly a number of countries have poisonings or meddling in us donald trump came to power promising to crack down on immigration elections, or sending troops into and build a wall along done that while scientists explore the country's border with mexico. in more detail what the mutation eastern ukraine, their reaction is a

wise denial. we her denial from the as his presidency enters its final isn't what the impact is?” days, the wall may remain largely in more detail what the mutation isn't what the impact is? i think it internal security service who said isn't what the impact is? i think it isa isn't what the impact is? i think it is a hard decision but we have no unbuilt, but federal enforcement it was a faithful —— bait. they said teams are continuing to arrest choice, because if it turned out undocumented immigrants who've lived it was a faithful —— bait. they said it was a faithful —— bait. they said that the virus was passed on from it was provocation by foreign in the us for decades. intelligence services. and then they one individual to another much more as president—elect joe biden prepares to have said they had nothing more to enter the white house, our west coast correspondent sophie long efficiently, then we now have to asks, how much he can — add. but vladimir putin's press or will — change. ta ke efficiently, then we now have to take measures and pretend —— and prevent the virus from spreading, secretary said that nalvany suffered and maybe in two or three weeks we from a persecution complex. nothing have the final proof that the virus has changed in such a way that more respite —— surprising in this. it's we were in san diego, california, of the people are infected with the for ice agents pulled over a worker on his way to work... cyber sons are more contagious, it been all underpants. plays on words, immigration activists live stream, record and document is very important information an attempted arrest. the safety issue is ice here, because it affects vaccination posts about underpants, many posts they are terrorising our people, they are separating families... they believe ice, or immigration programme “— suggesting the fsb claims mr and customs enforcement, because it affects vaccination programme —— more other people operate unlawfully, and consider infected with the virus are more nalvany's suggesting the fsb claims mr this attempted kidnapping. nalva ny's underpants, suggesting the fsb claims mr nalvany's underpants, because it contagious. her community as a seems that the role of this person there is a violation percentage of the population that on the phone was to clean up the 00:25:51,411 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 evidence, get rid of the evidence. of state law right now, has to be vaccinated but now if the even their presence, trying to intimidate people here. they want these operations, virus is spreading more efficiently, which often remove parents it means a higher percentage of the from their children, to stop. population has to get the vaccine.

and ice to be abolished. they are not hopeful joe biden will deliver. if we take the last administration instead of 65% or 75% of the where he served as vice president, it was the administration that most population, maybe 75 or 80% of the population, maybe 75 or 80% of the reported migrant families, population has to be vaccinated and backed 0liveri difficult to achieve. —— it was the administration that that is very interesting. you are most deported migrant families, who separated, who created not saying that this new variant the detention centres on the border, who privatised the detention necessarily means the vaccine of migrants, and so we already in use in the uk that is don't have any hopes. after 40 minutes, the ice agents and police officers leave, coming on board in other countries without making an arrest but not without reinforcing will not be any good against the the deep felt fear here. virus, but that you might need more there were no activists present the day these two people to have the vaccine in order people were arrested to get a good level of immunity in and detained for months. theirfour children left to fend for themselves. the general population? exactly. the seeing my mum handcuffed, not even being able to see my dad vaccine is available at the moment because he was in a separate area, are also effective against this new it was just a very overwhelming feeling that we are alone. variant, but if the virus is spreading more efficiently it also it was like my worst nightmare came to be. has an impact on head immunity, and i didn't really believe it. asi has an impact on head immunity, and as i pointed out, it means possibly three years on, and they still don't know if their parents that we had to vaccinate more will be deported.

what do you hope will happen now? people, a higher percentage of the i hope that people will have more population, to get this head immunity, the final goal of the empathy, will be more compassionate, vaccination programme. very that there will be an easier pass interesting to talk to you, professor gunther schonrich from tell a path to citizenship instead of us being confused and not germany's institute of directors. it knowing what will happen. there is hope here and in neighbourhoods along this border is understood people arriving in northern ireland from the rest of that the end of donald trump's presidency will mark the uk will be asked to self—isolate a turning point. for ten days. the northern ireland the dramatic difference is that this executive voted against imposing a level of fear has been lifted travel ban from dayton, hearing from the immigrant community, and i think that that is profound, implications, but it is advising for those of us working people to avoid nonessential in the community there hasjust been journeys —— voted against imposing a a real terror for folks every day. travel ban from britain. but so much damage has the man who murdered british been done that there backpacker grace millane is also a reality check, in new zealand has been named we know that this is after a court order banning his going to take time. identication was lifted. halfway through donald trump's the courtjudgement also revealed 28—year—old jesse kempson has presidency, we filmed as a young been convicted of sex mother and her daughter walked attacks on two more women. in february, he was jailed around the end of the border fence. for a minimum of 17 years for killing miss millane in his hotel room in you couldn't do that here now. auckland in december 2018. where there was no barrier,

0ur correspondent in sydney, there are now two, and construction continues. phil mercer gave us this update. joe biden says he will put a stop to that. jesse kempson has been revealed as a at the top you've got a five foot, what we call, anti—climb plate. serial sexual predator for the first but those that police the border say the wall‘s made it much time. we can report he was found more difficult to cross. if you're going to put yourself guilty of raping another british on an 18 foot or 30 foot wall, woman in auckland in new zealand any time you climb a tall structure just 18 months before he killed is inherently dangerous. you risk falling, which does happen. grace millane. he was also found they are dealing with compound guilty of terrorising a former girlfriend. grace millane went fractures, fractured vertebrae, and even deaths, unfortunately. missing in december 2018 on the eve the port of entry is the place you are supposed to cross a border, of her 22nd birthday, and this man's whether you are claiming asylum or whether you are making a legal entry with a visa. that is the front door of a country, identity was suppressed after he was convicted of killing her so that is the port of entry. for those and the families of those those other trials could proceed without any fear of being who survived and made it across this border in the years and decades gone prejudiced, but we can now identify this man, his appeal against his by, the reduction in the theatre sentence and conviction for killing grace millane has been dismissed, as you say he is serving a minimum —— the reduction in the fear.

sentence of 17 years in prison. they feel when donald trump leaves office may be instantaneous. grace millane's family has released mending a dysfunctional a statement saying they did not immigration system in a deeply divided country will not. think of this man, they do not speak its name, they prefer to remember jupiter and saturn have crossed paths in the night sky, appearing like a single bright star. grace millane furlough as a young the planets are more girl he went out to see the world, than 400 million miles apart, and just after sunset so another disturbing chapter in reached their closest point in 800 years. this awful story of a young woman who travelled to new zealand and was scientists suggest the timing of this ‘conjunction', murdered by a man strangled her, put just gorgeous. her body into a suitcase and buried it on the outskirts of auckland. you're watching bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather. us—british citizen paul whelan was arrested in 2018 and sentenced lastjune to 16 years in prison for espionage. mr whelan has just spoken we have seen contrasting weather for on the phone to the bbc‘s sarah rainsford from a russian prison, giving his first detailed stu d e nts we have seen contrasting weather for students across the country today. account of his arrest, for the northern areas of the trial and conviction — and protesting his innocence. country, plenty of sunshine. beautiful day earlier in cumbria. the further south, it is grey and his family believe the russian damp and fairly drizzly. southern government want to cut a deal with the us government areas we are likely to see more rain for his release, and urge moscow in the next 36 hours. this chart to see the last weeks shows where rainfall amounts will be of donald trump's presidency accumulating, particularly across as the best chance. england and wales and a zone from

if there's no deal, whelan is facing this christmas — and many more wales to east anglia. we could see ao years — behind bars. wales to east anglia. we could see 40 to 70 millimetres of rain which could enhance the risk of flooding it's an old gulag camp. it's a very, very kind through the coming days. through the rest of today, it will turn wet of grim existence. across wet parts of wales, central russia calls this man an american and southern england. mail this to spy, but paul whelan has told me ayrshire. still be some clear skies he is a political hostage. in northern england, scotland and northern ireland. cloud will he's been phoning me from prison to relate his story increase across northern ireland and in detail for the first time. southern scotland into the night. further rain at times across england i know that i haven't and wales. there will be some clear committed a crime. it's just slimy politics. skies around too. it will be another male one the further south you are. unfortunately, i'm the one who is temperatures only dropping a few caught up in the middle of it. degrees from daytime values. north why did you come to russia generally? four months, we followed every custody hearing in court. in england and northwards, there is each time, mr whelan chance of a frost for some into tomorrow morning. this is the chart would insist he was innocent. for wednesday. bringing that intensification of the rain as this but the guards didn't area of low pressure. strong and gusty winds developing later on want us to talk. towards wales in the south—west. some of the his airframe may be north west wales and at zone from he has now described directly how he was at this moscow hotel, wales, the midlands, to east anglia. getting ready for a wedding, could see some rumbles of thunder. when an old friend dropped by unexpectedly. this case could brighten in the

moments later, at least eight fsb security officers south at times. temperatures around burst into the room. 13-14. south at times. temperatures around 13—14. increasingly chill further north. scotland are enjoy the best i thought at first maybe it was some sort ofjoke or trick or something. with some sunshine. colder air will but, you know, it became real quite quickly. ta ke with some sunshine. colder air will take place for all of us as we go they entered by themselves, grabbed through the rest of the week. that me, you know, pinned me down. area of low pressure pushes through i actually asked the person an orderfor winds who seemed like he was in charge area of low pressure pushes through an order for winds take us area of low pressure pushes through an orderfor winds take us into area of low pressure pushes through an order for winds take us into a what they were doing and why bit of a festive chill. let's take a look at christmas eve. it will be a i was being pinned down like that, and he said he was from case of a few showers. those will be the federal security service and i was under wintry, particularly over the hills. most wintry, particularly over the hills. m ost pla ces wintry, particularly over the hills. arrest for espionage. most places will have dry and sunny weather at times. some strong winds a former us marine, paul whelan down the eastern coast of england, visited russia six times in all, making it feel especially cold with and often posted pictures an added wind 4—7 baha'is. on social media. widespread frost will follow to take it was one of his russian friends us into christmas day. there will be who claimed he'd asked for secret data on behalf one or two shall be as close to the of us military intelligence. that man works for the fsb, east coast. could not rule out the so we are obscuring his identity. odd flurry in amongst that, the story was that the us dia sent me to moscow to pick up a flash particularly across the northern drive with the names borders. later in north—west and photographs of students from the border guard school. scotland. elsewhere, a chilly but 00:31:56,572 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 bright christmas day. there is absolutely no proof

as to what the fsb came up with. i mean, it's really a farce. you hear about these things during the soviet period, and people being taken out and shot — well, that's the same thing. the trial itself was closed, top secret. but we were there when paul whelan was sentenced to 16 years. so was the us ambassador, who has since driven eight hours to visit him in prison. there is nothing more that i would rather do than give him a hug and wish him a happy new year and send him home. ambassador sullivan has now confirmed to me that talks for a political deal are under way with the russian government. i have no higher priority in what's left of the trump administration than to advocate for paul and to do all we possibly can to get him released. but we haven't been able to come to terms that would be reasonable for any us administration. so this man's fate is entangled in the dire state of relations

between moscow and the west. i'm being patient and waiting. i'm not the only pebble on the beach, i know. but i also don't want to be here too long. i want to be able to come home, see my family, and live my life. in reality, they abducted mr bean on holiday... but paul whelan looks certain to spend christmas in custody, sewing clothes in his russian labour camp. sarah rainsford, bbc news, moscow. the pfizer—biontech coronavirus vaccine could be rolled out in the eu as early as sunday after approval from the european medicines agency. it was put forward following the earlier emergency approval of the jab in many other countries. hope and a bottle, for over a14 million

and a bottle, for over 414 million europeans. approval has come following pressure on the regulators, who were taking a more cautious approach than the uk and the us. urged to speed up by eu leaders, they gave the vaccine the green light eight days earlier than planned. the european medical agency has given the pfizer—biontech vaccine the nod for all over 16s on condition of a review in a year. now europe's politicians are keen to get on the front foot. we have, of course, more or less the same amount per capita for biontech as the uk and we have three times more of the moderna vaccine that will be approved injanuary than the uk, so an average eu citizen will probably have a better chance of being vaccinated than the average uk citizen by march or february even. but europe's leaders will face the same hurdles as other leaders — like america's president—elect — in needing to convince a sceptical public of the safety of the vaccine. there's nothing to worry about. how are you feeling?

great! for some, like 500 of the residents of this new york city nursing home, the pfizer—biontech job can't come soon enough. being very blunt with you, guys, it's been nine months of hell. our staff has been through a tremendous amount. if you think back to the horrors of march, april, may, and to finally receive that support, that recognition, that product for our health care heroes on the front lines to be first in line for the vaccine programme, it's warmly received. and with multiple vaccines now in use in america, including this moderna one approved just days ago, it means front line workers and army veterans like these ones in boston, massachusetts are getting another welcome layer of protection as they battle this invisible and increasingly infectious killer disease. mark lobel, bbc news.

from next month secondary schools and colleges in england will be offered more access to rapid coronavirus test. the government says it will help to keep young people in education, which they say isa people in education, which they say is a priority. professorjon deeks is a bio—statistician at the university of birmingham and leader of cochrane's covid—19 test evaluation activities. hejoins me now. professor, good to have you with us. the government's priority is indeed to keep children an education. i think most parents want their children to be informal education settings rather than home—schooling. as things stand, do we have a programme, do you think, that is robust enough to deal with thousands of children going back to school and as we know now the transmissibility of this new variant of covid? u nfortu nately, of this new variant of covid? unfortunately, no we don't. i have three children i certainly want to see being at school. the tests we are being asked to use, this lateral

flow test, hasn't been evaluated in schoolchildren. it hasn't been evaluated in university students when we used it back in december, and at the university of birmingham we had been looking at how well it worked in picking up cases of covid. we have unfortunately come to the conclusion, we probably missed 60, having found only two, using this test. it is not a test suited to being used in people who don't have symptoms, so it is a big concern at the moment that he plans to roll this out in schools is using the wrong test. it is an accessible test but it is one which will miss people who have got covid. so that is the nub of it, it doesn't identify nearly enough of the people we don't have symptoms, just to be absolutely clear. absolutely. in birmingham, we retested students who got negative results from this lateral flow test, we tested them with a pcr assay, and

from that we estimated we missed 60 stu d e nts from that we estimated we missed 60 students who probably went home from university with covid. that was out of just over university with covid. that was out ofjust over 7000 people, is that right? we spent six days testing, and the effort required, in a university setting, we had signed stu d e nts university setting, we had signed students and postgraduate students to do the testing and we set up a big laboratory to do it add to test thousands, and we found two positives having worked for six days, so it is a logistical challenge in doing this, but alongside it, this test isn't designed or suited for this role, and the government hasn't got evidence together to actually check whether it will work before it is being implemented. you say they haven't got evidence together. what is your evidence for saying that they haven't got the evidence, if this is what the government is doing, pushing ahead with his lateral flow tests for schools ‘s the studies which the government

have done were done by the university of oxford, in test and trace centres with symptomatic people, released at the beginning of november. the evaluation in liverpool is more helpful because it has been done in people who haven't got symptoms. we heard a couple of weeks ago they reckoned they missed 50% in the first data of using that test and we are writing from new data from them soon which will give their final results data from them soon which will give theirfinal results on data from them soon which will give their final results on that, but it is just their final results on that, but it isjust gradually coming their final results on that, but it is just gradually coming out, the universities, there was no testing of the test before we were all asked to use it in that setting. the key thing to realise is that this is an imperfect test, everybody knows that, and its imperfections will map out in different ways in different settings. it is critical that it is tested before it is put into use.“ not lateral flow test, what tests, the pcr? the pcr is the best test

but it is difficult to use because of the requirements of time but there are inventive ways of using it, for example cambridge university have used a pooled pcr testing technique that has worked well for them through the term, whereby stu d e nts them through the term, whereby students living in one piece of accommodation all do one test, they put their swabs into one pot, and the same sort of thing could be donning classes in school and so on like that, but the focus of investment is in this lateral flow test, which is not the right thing to do. it is the focus of the investment is in the lateral flow test. are you seeing any sign that the government is taking on board what you and others are presumably saying, and looking at diversifying towards this different type of testing in just a few weeks, after the christmas holidays? we are all running fast at the time you're still trying to get through a family christmas, so this news only came out last week, i was at a meeting

with the department for education yesterday, talking to colleagues today, so there are discussions in which we are involved but i don't think provisions are being made by the department for education for this, and these changes are critical. it is critical that happens. professor, interesting to talk to you. thank you. government borrowing soared in november as the uk continued to support the economy during the pandemic. the office for national statistics said borrowing hit £31.6 billion last month — the highest november figure on record. our business presenter ben thompson can explain. ben, we know the cost of this crisis is growing — but what do these figures tell us? you are absolutely right. it really underlines how much this is costing the uk, and taxpayers, to be able to

supportjobs the uk, and taxpayers, to be able to support jobs and provide the uk, and taxpayers, to be able to supportjobs and provide the necessary help that businesses need right now. let me put this into context through a series of graphs. they do illustrate just how uk is shaping up as far as its finances are concerned. this first one tells us are concerned. this first one tells us that borrowing hit £31.6 billion last month as you said. the highest novemberfigure on last month as you said. the highest november figure on record. last month as you said. the highest novemberfigure on record. in novemberfigure on record. in november alone, borrowing was about six times what it was in november last year, so these are absolutely some record figures we are seeing right now. putting that into more context, going back as far as the year 2000, borrowing to cover the gap between spending and revenue, so for this financial year, jumping to £240. 9 for this financial year, jumping to £240.9 billion, and you can seejust how much more it is this year than it has been over the past 20 years. if that wasn't bad enough, the

independent 0ffice if that wasn't bad enough, the independent office for budget responsibility said it could reach 372 billion by the end of the financial year in march, because things like the furlough scheme are being extended, so therefore that cost even more. the increase in borrowing has led to a steep increase in what is the national debt. what we should look at here is that borrowing is the difference between what the government is earning in things like tax revenue, versus what it is having to pay out in support and public spending. so it needs to borrow to fund that come about that, in turn, increases the national debt, so the national debt reaching 2.1 trillion, about 99.5% of gross domestic product, a level not seen since the early 60s. some astonishing figures. but nonetheless, one that the chancellor will be looking at, as he prepares to make his budget in march. then, thank you very much for that.

the usjustice department has charged a man with making the bomb which blew up pan am flight 103 over lockerbie in 1988. yesterday was the 32nd anniversary of the bombing, which killed 270 people. david cowan reports. 32 years to the day since the worst terrorist attack committed in britain, the usjustice department unveils new charges over lockerbie. they allege that this man, abu agila masud, helped murder 270 people. let there be no mistake. no amount of time or distance will stop the united states and our scottish partners from pursuing justice in this case. the americans claim masud acted with fellow libyan intelligence agents, abdelbaset al—megrahi, who was convicted of the bombing 20 years ago, and al amin khalifa fhimah, who was cleared. the bomb was hidden like this, inside a radio cassette player in an unaccompanied suitcase. masud is said to have set the timer before it was loaded onto a plane in malta,

transferred to frankfurt, then heathrow, where it went on board pan am 103. the americans say that afterwards, masud was congratulated in person by colonel gaddafi and that he confessed to bombing the plane in a libyan prison eight years ago. i don't think it's done with him, i think there are more involved, but yes, i do believe he is guilty of playing a part in the murder of these 270 innocent people. freed by the scottish government on compassionate grounds, abdelbaset al—megrahi died in 2012. scotland's appeal court is currently considering whether he was a victim of a miscarriage ofjustice. their decision expected next month. the americans say they are optimistic the second lockerbie trial will take place, scotland's prosecution service, the crown 0ffice, is considering whether to bring its own charges against masud. david cowan, bbc news.

amnesty international is calling for an investigation following the death of a dissident pakistani activist who was living in canada. karima baloch, who had been in canada since seeking asylum in 2015, was a vocal critic of the policies of the military and state in the western province of baluchistan, host to a long—running separatist insurgency. in south africa another new strain of the coronavirus has been discovered. scientists there say they are working with the world health organisation to investigate the new variant. it was identified by a genomics team working in the country's eastern cape province where there have been a surge in recent cases. a propane tanker truck has overturned in new york city causing a huge explosion. take a look at this. here's the truck after it exploded and you can see the enormous plume of flames of fire

and smoke filling the sky. it happened on monday night prompting the closure of part of the new york city expressway and causing long traffic back—ups. how has your year been changed by the impact of current virus ‘s my colleague philippa thomas has been hearing some stories. today the story of a native american woman who has been mobilising volunteers across tribal lands to help those most vulnerable to covid—19. 0ne coronavirus your stories i've been speaking to people all over the world about the extraordinary ways covid—19 has changed their lives. i am revisiting some of these stories as christmas approaches. life has become more difficult for many. we have spoken on this programme about losing loved ones, jobs, access to health care, even food, but there have also been inspiring stories of solidarity and hope. in some of the

most solidarity and hope. in some of the m ost re m ote solidarity and hope. in some of the most remote areas of the united states, native american volunteers came together early to help the tribal nations hit hardest by covid—19. in utah, joe 0verton was clinically vulnerable herself, stuck at home during lockdown, but she felt she had to act and set up a nonprofit from her kitchen table. from my youngest childhood i remember my mother asking me, what are you going to be when you grow up, and what will you do to help the people? there are some areas, especially on the navajo nation, we re especially on the navajo nation, were between 30—40 % of the people don't have running water. it also means they have no electricity and no cell phone service because they live in a really remote area, and that might be ok on a regular basis but with covid it means that they cannot wash their hands, ijust

said, i cannot stand here and do nothing. i was looking for masks, and now we can get thousands to people in just days, and now we can get thousands to people injust days, and and now we can get thousands to people in just days, and also face shields, hand sanitiser, it becomes life—saving, when you don't have water. nine months on, her network are still active, and drawing, sending help to tribal lands from south dakota to nebraska. how does she describe the challenge today?“ has been just kind she describe the challenge today?“ has beenjust kind of she describe the challenge today?“ has been just kind of overwhelming emotionally, and very difficult to watch people that you love and are pa rt watch people that you love and are part of your family, to become sick, and to have people that you care about die. joe, tell us more about what your network is doing to get some of the basics out there. we

absolutely depend on partnerships and collaborations with the native peoples. they are our moccasins on the ground, and right now our sewing extension is suing the great plains, covering south dakota, north dakota, nebraska and iowa, for 16,000 cloth masks. this is a nonprofit that you set up from your kitchen table. what has been happening to you?” set up from your kitchen table. what has been happening to you? i have been on lockdown in my house, since march. the most difficult part for me has been how much i miss my grandchildren. i haven't had a hug and a kiss and a snuggle. what is driving you on, jo? my people are dying, what would i do, sit here and do nothing? i can't. the most important prayer that we say is that

the people may live, not that i may live, and i have been guided in my effo rts live, and i have been guided in my efforts by my ancestors, a deep drive to make my mother proud of me, for her to look down at me and say, good for her, she is doing something important, and it has been what has lifted me in the darkest of times, in the midst of this. that report from philippa thomas. jupiter and saturn have cross path in the night sky as being like a single bright star. the planets are more than 400 million miles apart butjust after sunset reach their closest point in 800 years. scientists adjust the timing of this great conjunction as it is known may have been the source ofa it is known may have been the source of a bright light in the sky 2000 yea rs of a bright light in the sky 2000 years ago, which became known as the star of bethlehem. doctor michael west is an astronomer in arizona who

live stream the event from his telescope. i went out with my family and we look at it by eye and it was beautiful and last night at the observatory we did a live streaming event on our telescope, so that everybody around the world could watch this, and it was just a beautiful site with these two planets in our solar system getting closer and closer together in the sky. it is a beautiful sight, but beyond that, does it tell us anything in terms of learning or knowledge, do we derive any information from all of this? from a perspective, perhaps not. jupiter and saturn are not actually knew each other physically, theyjust appear close together on the sky, but the deeper thing from all of this, 2020 has been a really rough yearfor this, 2020 has been a really rough year for everybody and it is just nice to have this reminder that the universe is an amazing place, and that there are beautiful things we can see in the sky at night. that is the best takeaway from all of this,

that there is hope and magic in the universe, and that is a great thing to be reminded of. the last time they came this close was 400 years ago but the last time it was visible was 800 years ago, so, for those of us was 800 years ago, so, for those of us who have cloudy skies, do we make a note in the diary for 2420 or 2820? ? general these a note in the diary for 2420 or 2820? ? generalthese conjunctions occur every 20 years, but when they are occur every 20 years, but when they a re really occur every 20 years, but when they are really this close together, the two planets, the best time to see them disclose will be in the year 2080, so if you can stick around until then that would be great. i know that it has been cloudy in the uk, but you can still see, even if you didn't see them on the solstice last night, you can still see them for the next two weeks, probably up until new year, but they will just get slowly further apart in the sky but will still be quite close

together. the challenge will be as they are sinking lower and lower on they are sinking lower and lower on the horizon, so you have to see them closer and closer to sunset. you have a small window of time to see them, but you can definitely see them, but you can definitely see them tomorrow night, the next night, probably up until new year, so i advise everybody to get out, if you can get the opportunity. now let's take you to baghdad, to visit a tiny shop on one of the city's most historic streets that is quite literally a time capsule. it's filled with thousands of wristwatches. tanya dendrinos has more. if walls could talk, this little store, opened in the 1940s, would have plenty of stories to tell. a time capsule on one of baghdad's most historic streets. time waits for no—one, but lovingly repaired, the thousands of pieces piled into this wristwatch treasure trove live on, as does the craft, passed through generations.

translation: i inherited the shop from my father, and my father inherited it from my grandfather. i don't remember much about my grandfather's days, but i do remember my father's. because he was in the shop for 20 years. and i inherited the shop in 1981. yusuf believes he may have even fixed a piece belonging to saddam hussein. he was just 11 when he first picked up the tools, sticking with the trade into the digital age. translation: after mobile phones hit the market, people stopped buying watches, but three or four years later, watches were in high demand, and most of the other watchmen left theirjobs and closed their stores after the market crash. a nod to the timeless nature of the humble timepiece, and a man determined to preserve as many as he can. tanya dendrinos, bbc news.

y0u're watching bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with carol. hello again. once again today we are looking at a north—south divide in our weather. across the north it will be drier, brighter, but colder, whereas in the south there is a lot of cloud around with some rain, but it's very mild for the time of year. we have this weak weather front across us producing rain but we will see the rain pep up from the south—west later, as a new area of low pressure approaches. so, a lot of cloud as we go through the afternoon, with some spots of rain, the heavier rain coming in from the west, and to the north of that, the sunshine turning hazy at times across northern ireland, northern england and southern scotland, with some showers across the north and west, some of those wintry on the tops of hills. temperatures, 7—8, but in the south very mild with highs of 13. this evening and overnight, all this cloud and rain advances northwards,

potentially getting into southern scotland and northern ireland before the end of the night while further north under clearer skies it is going to be cold but there will still be showers and the wintry element will come down to about 250 metres or so. and there's also the risk of some frost. but this area of low pressure tomorrow is quite potent, and as it comes in across wales and south—west england there is the potential for some gales, but we still are hanging the mild conditions represented by the ambers in southern areas. more northerly areas, as you can see from the wind arrows, colder for you. we have all of this rain falling on already saturated ground. some of it will be heavy and persistent, with the risk of some localised flooding, strong winds in the west and the south—west, but for scotland and northern ireland, we are looking at drier conditions. it is going to be a colder days are some of the showers could have a wintry element to lower levels in the heavier showers. wednesday night, we say goodbye to that area of low pressure so for christmas eve and christmas day we import

this large area of high pressure. for christmas eve, a lot of dry weather. there will be some showers running down the coast and on the hills some of those could prove to be wintry, with a bit more cloud coming in across north—west scotland. but it is going to be a cold day wherever you are, and that cold air finally getting down into southern areas. as we move on to christmas day on friday, a frosty start, most of us will have dry conditions but it is unsettled on boxing day.

this is bbc news. these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. talks are taking place to end the french travel ban on people coming from the uk. around 1,500 lorry drivers have spent a second night in their cabs waiting to cross the channel. drivers say they were given no warning. we came on sunday and on sunday we were told we couldn't cross. it's crazy. if we had known that, we would never have been here. britain's testing minister says that regular testing could end the chaos. testing of some sort is part of the discussions that the transport secretary is having with his counterparts in france right now. getting those tests up and running, you know,

can happen relatively quickly. containing the spread of the new variant of coronavirus in britain — a top government advisor warns tougher restrictions will be needed in more parts of england. the man who murdered british backpacker grace had a deportee order before... will be speaking to an investigator who listened into the revelations. —— we will be speaking. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. talks are continuing to try to enter the french ban on people coming from

the uk following the weekend's announcement about the spread of the new coronavirus variant. the french government says it will announce measures today that will allow transport links with britain to resume and trade to flow across the channel again. borisjohnson and president macron spoke yesterday following france's decision to close its border after growing concern about the new variant of coronavirus. lorry drivers in kent had to spend a second night sleeping in their vehicles waiting for the border with france to reopen. yesterday, the prime minister said there were 1,500 lorries waiting in kent to cross back to the continent, but the home secretary has confirmed that figure is actually over 1,500. 0peration brock, which was initially developed to ease post—brexit congestion, has been implemented. the eu has co—ordinated its response and member states are pressing for uk arrivals to be tested for the virus before entering their countries. member states pressing that the uk arrival should be tested before entering their countries. retailers say there's plenty of food in the supply chain and supermarkets for christmas. however, they warn that,

unless the french border is re—opened today, there will be disruption to supplies of fresh produce by the end of the week. the uk's chief scientific adviser is warning the new variant is now "everywhere" and that more areas may need to enter tier 4. sir patrick vallance says lockdown measures "need to be increased in some places, in due course, not reduced". and northern ireland's executive has voted against introducing a travel ban from england, scotland and wales. we've got some pictures of those lorry cues from our helicopter. look at them all backed up, stacked up on each other, mile on mile, right up the n 20 to dover. so, what's happening right there? let's take is to simonjones. happening right there? let's take is to simon jones. how happening right there? let's take is to simonjones. how is it today, simon? well, the port of dover and the eurotunnel remain closed for second day for anyone wanting to get

across to france. in terms of the number of lorries who are caught up in this difficult time, it's difficult to put a figure on it. the interior minister has said there's a figure of 650 lorries parked up on the motorway in the run—up to the port and eurotunnel. she also said that 873 lorries had been used to disused airfield here in kent. but lorries are pulled up everywhere they can. this is a slip road by the port. lorries have decided to stop here. there are all —— they all along the seafront. let's talk now to one of the poor people caught up in this, this romania lorry driver. tell me, how is it for you? difficult. we are already here for a second day. we try to find some place to sleep. it was so difficult.

we are tired, disappointed and afraid. we don't know what to do. i have called everywhere to ask if they can help us no answer. nobody knows. we have to wait. there is talk that drivers may need a coronavirus test. you try to get one they told us and i was calling, i was calling here to try and make a test. i have to wait three days the test. i have to wait three days the test. so, if you wait three days? it's christmas? yes. we have to wait. i don't know. we don't know what's happening. you got family back home? i have a family. my small daughter is waiting for me. i was yesterday at home but now i'm here, stuck. we don't have any answer from

anyone. what are you saying to your seven—year—old when she asks when you're coming home?” seven—year—old when she asks when you're coming home? i am telling her that i can't get backjust now. she says she wants to wait for me. she doesn't understand. my wife can understand it too was she was crying yesterday. i said maybe if i can come, i will be here. yesterday. i said maybe if i can come, iwill be here. the people here, we are top i'm not, you see how many, we are here and we don't have any information. what information are you getting from the authorities? at the embassy here they had no answer for us because they had no answer for us because the french border is closed. we have to wait because they are speaking there. the government, or government, the uk government, the

french government, they say we have to wait. they don't have any answers for us. they are saying we have to wait. in terms of that waiting, do you have access to toilets, basic facilities. the first day we did not have because it was sunday, 11pm here. iwas have because it was sunday, 11pm here. i was parking somewhere here. five minutes later, the police, the uk police were coming to us to say we can't park here. i went to the gas station upstairs. i was sleeping there in the car. no toilet. only some water i have in there. the second day, because i was trying to find a hotel. they said they didn't wa nt find a hotel. they said they didn't want us at the hotel. yesterday night, we took a shower, a warm meal

and... and tonight? i don't know. sleep ina and... and tonight? i don't know. sleep in a car? there's so many cars here. it was not so difficult to park the other day. thank you. as you hear, desperate to get back to his seven—year—old daughter but when thatis, his seven—year—old daughter but when that is, he simply cannot say. simon. thanks forjoining us. we have in the past you minutes as well had a tweet from the uk transport secretary. he has said... that coming to us in the past few minutes. let's update you in what's happening with brussels. more on that decision by france to close the

border. they got kicked that 48-hour period so there's no chance that there will be an early out, we've been briefed on the french side. the jeopardy minister says there will be an announcement today about how they stop these measures and how they start to reopen the border. one thing they had said with certainty is that they will be asking for coronavirus test, rapid coronavirus tests for freight drivers. it's impossible to do it as quick as tomorrow. i think that's a big question and i know the british side are still talking to the french. we have just heard that the french head of supermarkets, one of the big chains, he was talking on french tv saying that they've got trucks stuck on the uk side of the border with all sorts of fish and seasonal seafood produce, scholarships, langoustine, monkfish and he said

they will be definite shortages in french supermarkets ahead of christmas, tomorrow, christmas eve is well. he's saying that the borders desperately need to be reopened. the point is that the pressure isn'tjust on reopened. the point is that the pressure isn't just on the reopened. the point is that the pressure isn'tjust on the uk side at the moment. the french industry putting pressure on its old government too. let's beat to the president of the port to bologna and calais. can you get a sense of how things are where you are and the impact of the closure? in calais, the impact isn't just impact of the closure? in calais, the impact isn'tjust coming from dover. export to dover, yesterday 1200 lorries which took the ferry to dover and this morning since noon until 12 o'clock at night, it's

about 600 lorries which took the ferry and we expected about 1500 lorries. at calais currently there is no special problem, i must say. when you expect a decision to be made in what will happen next? since the first minute of this blockade, i have been saying that lorries are stuck in dover. i know how it is in dover when there is a trafficjam, congestion, and i hope that solution will be found in the next hour to find a solution between the english and french. do you expect to know by the end of today? yes. i do hope really that, again, the hauliers

will be able to spend christmas at home. i think it's a question of tests. i don't know the possibility of sanitary organisations, for the hauliers. i don't know how many are there, i imagine it's more than 1500. 2000, maybe? it can be tested. i don't know. it's a necessity to make these steps. that's what i have to say. i am very sad over the situation. i regret. so you do believe that the lorry drivers who are believe that the lorry drivers who a re often believe that the lorry drivers who are often alone for days in their cabs, rarely in contact with people sometimes, but you do believe they present a threat? i think so. do you believe the french government was right to close the borders? sorry,

i'm responsible for that port of calais and i've had to adapt to a decision which i have taken. since yesterday morning when i heard, i have had more interviews, if there isa have had more interviews, if there is a position for the hauliers to come back to france, please start as soon as come back to france, please start as soon as possible, the test. sol hope the test will be started as soon as hope the test will be started as soon as possible. so hauliers can cross. there's no point to waking them up when they are coming back. do you think this is a bit of a dress rehearsal for what could happen after january the 1st? dress rehearsal for what could happen afterjanuary the 1st? no. , deal or no deal, they will not be

any problems for us. we have been trading since two years and we are ready since march 29. i've do hope the hauliers are all concerned and all know what they have to do. i think everything shall go, there should not be trafficjams. the hauliers, when they leave the united kingdom is, they will not get any problems in calais. that is clear. from france to calais, to dover, they will not be any problem. thank you forjoining us from calais. thank you. joining me now is rob holly on who is the direction of young's transportation and logistics one of the firms affected. what a stressful start to christmas week? yes. what kind of decisions have you had to make about your fleet this

week? on sunday, we had to make the decision not to send anything to mainland year. our headquarters are based firm purfleet and also southampton and warrington to but we are on the border of essex and kent so are on the border of essex and kent so to send a truck to drive half an hour and enjoying a two—day minimum q hour and enjoying a two—day minimum 0 seems ludicrous, so we decided not to send them. if this decision is made by the end of today and things change tomorrow, how long the disruption go on for? what's the knock—on effect? i mean, who knows? the knock—on effect, what it means to us, to us as an industry, means that we probably won't be sending any more trucks this side of christmas because of the theory getting out and back before christmas day. what is your feeling about compulsory tests? think it's a wonderful idea in theory but i'm not sure how it would work in practice. when you are talking about thousands

and thousands of drivers actually going across the channel every day, how on earth can you test and then i don't know how to clean these results come back but to everyone that's tested, obviously, it could be another two, three, that's tested, obviously, it could be anothertwo, three, ten, 100 drivers still waiting to be tested. soi drivers still waiting to be tested. so i don't know how it would work with mac but if the logistics are sorted is there a willingness to have a test? yes. don't forget, a lot of these drivers and accuse now european drivers trying to get home today at christmas. we just heard from one of them with his wife at the end of the phone crime. equally, the end of the phone crime. equally, the poor people who brought loads of fish down from scotland are now sitting in the queues, do they go, do they turn round? it's a horrible, horrible decision and it'sjust... one can't help but wonder whether there is politics hiding behind this particular situation. i'm afraid, as

i'm getting older, i'm getting more and more cynical and that's really, you know, my concern is that it's not entirely driven by safety. i also think it might be driven by politics. what do you mean, what kind of politics? we've yet to reach a decision on brexit and i can't help but feel this is factoring into the situation. we've heard earlier on in your programme with experts saying that this particular strain of virus is present in germany, france, belgium, so, you know, why did they suddenly make a decision to close the borders? we've been focusing quite a lot on the transporting of goods between the uk and france, but what about domestically? is that also going to be an issue? are using congestion there as well? first of all, we should point out that cargo is coming in to the country and once this terrible backlog does drop off tonight, hopefully, they'll be more cargo coming in sol

tonight, hopefully, they'll be more cargo coming in so i don't think shortages are an issue at the moment although they will be if there is no solution to this. in terms of the uk distribution, yes, the congestion in kent means that vehicle that are travelling through kent to the likes of sussex, surrey and hampshire and, of sussex, surrey and hampshire and, of course, delivering in kent are facing delays caused by the number of trucks on the main motorway route through kent. rob, we really appreciate your time. i hope things improve you and decisions are made. thank you. the government's chief adviser says more needs to be done to control this new virus. there has been an increase in cases as a result of mixing and the more infectious form of the virus needs to be taken more seriously as we now report.

a warning from the government's chief scientific adviser is that that more needs to be done about the virus. it's likely that this will grow in numbers of the variant across the country and i think it's likely that measures need to be increased in some places in due course, not reduced. just three days before christmas, already many have had to change their plans.” before christmas, already many have had to change their plans. i was due to go down and see my parents on christmas day that i won't be doing that any more. we were going to have christmas with six other people in a house and they are not coming now. in greater manchester and the west midlands, health officials have said that anyone visiting their regions from tearful areas and from wales should self—isolate the ten days. it comes admit concerns about a particular new variant of the virus

which the government says has led to a surge in new infections. it has 17 key differences in its genetic make up, the result of random mutations and roughly half of those changes are in the spike protein. possibly making it bind to human cells more effectively. it likely to be more transmissible because the dominant strain, but that's not only dependent on the violence but also on people's behaviour so we need to see whether it's the behaviour, whether that was spreading and that's accounting for all of these new infections now or whether it's really the strain that's allowing it to transmit from person—to—person. the hope remains that an expanded roll—out of vaccines next year will make all the difference but things could well get worse before they get better. the chief executive of one of the companies involved in

developing coronavirus vaccines has said it's not yet known whether their vaccine protects against this new variant of coronavirus. let's have a listen. we have now a new variant and the variance which was discovered in the uk and this is a little bit different. it has nine mutations, not only a single mutations, not only a single mutation and we don't know at the moment if our vaccine is also able to provide protection against this new variant. scientifically, it is highly likely that any response by this vaccine also can deal with this new virus variants. peter openshaw is head of experimental medicine in london. peter, good to see you. so much concern and confusion over this new variant, should people actually be worried if that's possible that

they already were? i'm afraid it is very transmissible. i think the evidence on that is quite clear and it's been estimated that it's up to 70% more transmissible which means it spreads very rapidly and it is displacing other variants of the virus and does seem to be particularly associated with an increase in hospital admissions, quite severe disease, in those areas where it's very prevalent, so, i'm afraid that it is very necessary to lock this one down a bit, yes. so, potentially, it could be more dangerous. notjust potentially, it could be more dangerous. not just a potentially, it could be more dangerous. notjust a transmissible element of it that is worrying? no. we don't have any evidence to say it's more dangerous. so the people are —— who are becoming infected seem are —— who are becoming infected seem to have the same symptoms. works going on very quickly to make an accurate estimate of the severity. i think many people were

thinking that if new variants emerge they might be less dangerous, less severe, more mild but i don't think we got any evidence of that as yet, but no evidence either that it's more severe for sub it's just more transmissible. how much more data do you need? so that more decisions can be made? for instance, there's issues about whether children more susceptible to it and honestly you are gathering data about this but you leader not —— need a lot more, i'm sure? well, the evidence so far is that circulation in children isn't in anyway driving the spread isn't in anyway driving the spread is not quite clear. i think we need to wait until we see that data out there in the public domain. there are hints that it could be the case but i don't think we should jump to any conclusions about the school closures. that has to be carefully modelled over the next few days

before any decisions can be made. i think we must notjump ahead of the solid scientific data yet. what's happening right now? is it being sequence? there's an awful lot of sequence. sequence? there's an awful lot of sequence. one of the things we are proud of in britain is the huge amount of sequencing that has been going on all around the country. that's been coordinated by the welcome trust. this global sequence data which has come through the uk consortium, the genome consortium and that's a massive contribution. it's really a reflection of the strength of that consortium. it's because of that that this new variant has been characterised and identified so rapidly. but that tra nslates identified so rapidly. but that translates in us being ahead of the curve in terms of other countries in terms of what's going on which isn't

necessarily helping in terms of closure of ports and so on. is that information then shared quite widely? is there quite a lot of coordination going on? it's very widely shared. at the moment, the policy in the scientific community is that if we have information that we think is solid, it has to be put out there for public scrutiny, almost, among the scientific community. we cannot hold it back and wait until it's been through several months delay of scientific peer review. he really had to reveal the information. it's publicly funded, a lot of this work, and we are bits of the world, really, to be open with what we have. but, on the other hand, that can mean that the things can be put out before they are fully scrutinised by the scientific community and, you know, potentially, be —— political decisions can be made before

information is been scrutinised. so it's a difficult conundrum we face. peter, do we know how many changes there's been in the virus so far? well, so, all the time, every time the virus goes through a new host, it changes. different mutations appear constantly. i mean, in total, there are about 22 mutations in the genome that characterise this particular variant, but there are many particular variant, but there are any particular variant, but there are many many other variants out there. if you look on the website, there are at least eight main sub strain variants which are circulating to different degrees. this isjust variants which are circulating to different degrees. this is just one of them. it happens to have a lot of changes which are concentrated in this spike protein, this service protein and several of those o—ring positions which make us think that it could affect both the immune response and the ability that this

spike protein to bind. but that is in firmed spike protein to bind. but that is infirmed —— spike protein to bind. but that is in firmed —— inferred from the sequence change. in firmed —— inferred from the sequence change. this particular plate has expanded very rapidly and is now the majority plate in london in the south—east. it also acts up together that this is much more transmissible and that its driving hospitalisations and will i'm afraid u nfortu nately hospitalisations and will i'm afraid unfortunately lead hospitalisations and will i'm afraid u nfortu nately lead to hospitalisations and will i'm afraid unfortunately lead to increasing debts. thank you for your time today, peter. in south africa, another new strain of the virus has been discovered there. scientists say they're working with the world health organization. the variant was identified in the eastern cape province where there has been a surge in recent cases. the man who murdered british backpacker grace

mullane has been named after a court order banning his identification was lifted. the 2a—year—old had been committed of sex attacks on women. in february, he was jailed after killing grace in her hotel room. we had this update for you he's been revealed as a serial sexual predator and for the first time we can report that he was found guilty of raping another young women in auckland just another young women in auckland just a few months before he killed grace millane. he was also prosecuted for terrorising a previous girlfriend.

his identity was suppressed after he was identified in killing her so that those trials could proceed without any prejudice. we can now identify him. his appeal has been dismissed. he is, as you say, serving a minimum sentence of 17 yea rs serving a minimum sentence of 17 years in prison. grace millane's family have released a statement saying as they don't think of this man, nor speeches name, they prefer to remember grace as a young girl who went out to see the world. so, another disturbing chapter in this awful story about this young woman travelling to new zealand who was murdered by a man who strangled her. he put her body into a suitcase and buried it on the outskirts of auckland. tom updating astaire from sydney. we have a line to bring you about a conversation that has been had between the british prime

minister andy eu chief. they spoke by telephone last night. many issues that enter discuss, of course. they've touched on brexit, the coronavirus crisis and this previously undisclosed conversation came as they were trying to thrash out a last—minute deal on trade and also how to deal with this variant on this virus. so more details and we will bring you more on that phone call as and when we get it. it took the usjustice department has charged a man with making the bomb which blew up pan am flight 103 over lockerbie in 1988. yesterday was the 32nd anniversary of the bombing, which killed 270 people. david cowan reports. 32 years to the day since the worst terrorist attack committed in britain, the usjustice department unveils new charges over lockerbie. they allege that this

man, abu agila masud, helped murder 270 people. let there be no mistake. no amount of time or distance will stop the united states and our scottish partners from pursuing justice in this case. the americans claim masud acted with fellow libyan intelligence agents, abdelbaset al—megrahi, who was convicted of the bombing 20 years ago, and al amin khalifa fhimah, who was cleared. the bomb was hidden like this, inside a radio cassette player in an unaccompanied suitcase. masud is said to have set the timer before it was loaded onto a plane in malta, transferred to frankfurt, then heathrow, where it went on board pan am 103. the americans say that afterwards, masud was congratulated in person by colonel gaddafi and that he confessed to bombing the plane in a libyan prison eight years ago. i don't think it's done with him, i think there are more involved, but yes, i do believe he is guilty of playing a part in the murder of these 270 innocent people. freed by the scottish government on compassionate grounds, abdelbaset al—megrahi died in 2012. scotland's appeal court is currently

considering whether he was a victim of a miscarriage ofjustice. the decision expected next month. the americans say they are optimistic the second lockerbie trial will take place, scotland's prosecution service, the crown office, is considering whether to bring its own charges against masud. david cowan, bbc news. russian opposition politician alexey navalny survived an assassination attempt in the summer, after being poisoned with the nerve agent novichok. he, as well as most western nations, have blamed the russian security forces. with the help of the bellingcat investigative website, who had idenitifed some of the team which had been trailing navalny, he called them up, pretending to be a senior security official investigating the poisoning operation — and got a full confession. it was a remarkable conversation, let's have a short lesson. 0k, tell

me what kind of cloth it was applied on, what was the main focus, what is the riskiest piece of closing in theory? underpants. remarkable details. an incredible phone call. we can now speak to the man who sat next to alexey navalny during this phone conversation, christo grozev, the lead investigator of bellingcat. what was it like to be sitting there for a9 what was it like to be sitting there for 49 minutes as this conversation took place? it was definitely the most incredible thing anybody can live through. what added to the surrealism was that i had not slept the whole night, working on the final touches to the investigator report that we would publish later that day. so at 4:30am this phone call took place and i do not think alexey navalny had slipped either. it was all in slow motion and i thought i was dreaming and this could not be happening. who did you

decide to call? well, actually the original plan had been to only confront the actual suspected poisoners for alexey navalny to call them up and say, hello, why did you try to kill me? and get their reaction. we thought this would be a funny moment before we published the investigation. midway through the call, he said i am not getting any reaction, so how about ijust do a prank and impersonate a top security officer. we had a two minute prep session to think what name might work and who might be the office they come from. you decided on calling the nonexistent aid to the chief of the security council of the russian council, who is probably one of the most senior security official in russia. he was going to call and ask for a quick report on what went wrong when alexey navalny was poisoned. i was completely determined that this would yield in a hang—up and somebody would put the

phone down. it went through the first five minutes and i thought, there is a chance this guy might confess. within 7—8 minutes he had made the first confession. alexey navalny stayed in character for a9 minutes and kept bullying the guy to give him more information. at the end, i really thought i had gone through a dream. did you have a conversation about the ethics of this phone call? the fact he would impersonate a high—ranking official. i told them at the very beginning that this could not be part of our investigation. we would have to have an internal discussion as to whether we could use any of the data which would transpire from this call. from his point of view, i do not see any real moral or ethical consideration because he is in a unique situation. he has been nearly killed, it seems that the killer was the state. there is no other state that wants to investigate this so he has left between a rock and a hard place where he has to dig out the truth

about his own poisoning himself, with the help of an investigative journalist. with us it was and is a discussion before we decided we could use that information and we only did that because ultimately we weighed the interest of the public as over weighing the interest of the individual. so how did you do that? you have had this incredible 49 minute conversation, you have learnt significant new details about the operation, did you then attempt to validate that information? we did not publish any of that new information in the report that was made public about six hours after that call. it took was one week to validate that information through data, phone records, travel details and all of that matched up completely. it was clear this was not somebody impersonating the officer through a reverse prank of some sort. it all matched, there we re some sort. it all matched, there were new names mentioned for the first time, including the local

anti—terrorism chief, who according to his words, did take the close of alexey navalny from the hospital and brought them to another location for cleaning. we were able to match that person to being at the hospital. his name we only found out from this phone call. we validated everything before we publish the full report. what you say to the fsb who has dismissed the recordings as fake, a provocation by foreign intelligence services? that is a very weak response because it is based on nothing. it is groundless. we have three different cameras from different angles that were taking the recording of that morning nonstop. we have two separate audio recordings of that. we are willing to share that with any law enforcement agency that wants to investigate this further.” enforcement agency that wants to investigate this further. i could hardly believe it. it has been a massive story in russia. there is so much social media interest. what sort of interest have you had,

particularly from russia? the russian feedback was initially one of incredulity. i think most journalists that actually work independently completely understand that this was real, this was authentic. their understanding of the russian inefficiency and russian bureaucracy and corruption in russia makes it easier for russian journalists to understand why this is true, why this is all based on pure journalistic work and does not need the involvement of intelligence services. but what i say is an unexpected consequence is that people begin to ridiculed the kremlin, people begin to see their security service as a joke. this started a little bit with the misfortune it officers who operated on russian television saying they are spy handlers and tourists, that was linked to the scrabble poisoning. at this stage, we say ten times more. there are memes around

the internet, and the top meme since yesterday was we do not know who alexey navalny is but it seems that putin is washing his laundry. just finally, sitting there listening to that call for those 49 minutes, alexey navalny keeping up that impersonation so effectively for that whole time, what was it like for him or watching him as he heard these details about how they tried to kill him? the fact that it was the plane landed quickly and he got medical attention that saved his life. what was his reaction? it cannot be described. it is probably as unique as his experience living through the poisoning. once he does that, he is ready for everything. i could see on his face that he was withholding the emotion and the emotion must have been extremely powerful hearing somebody explain to you why medics coming to save your

life is a terrible thing to happen. i think it took him a lot of adrenaline to go through it, and at the end, hejust adrenaline to go through it, and at the end, he just essentially collapsed. he went back to his home to have a rest because he had nothing to say and he could say nothing. until later in the day. we all wondered whether that had really happened or if it was a dream. just extraordinary. thank you so much for sharing that with us. government borrowing soared here in the uk in november as the government continue to support the economy during the pandemic. the office for national statistics said borrowing hit £31.6 billion last month. the highest novemberfigure on billion last month. the highest november figure on record. billion last month. the highest novemberfigure on record. let's bring you more with ben thompson who can explain. we know the cost of this crisis is growing. wanted these figures tell us? you are right. remember cure that government borrowing is the gap between what it has to spend on all sorts of things like public services and what it

raises and what it earns on things like taxes. this year, right around the world, governments have been spending more on support schemes to supportjobs spending more on support schemes to support jobs and the spending more on support schemes to supportjobs and the economy, and they have been making much less from corporation tax or from income tax because we have all been working and buying less. the gap for many economies around the world is getting greater. today we have had the figures for the uk. let me show you on a graph what they tell us because it does paint a picture. perhaps unsurprising that governments have to spend a lot more. you're in the uk, tells us that the government spent £31.6 billion last month. that is the highest november figure on billion last month. that is the highest novemberfigure on record. just for a bit of context, borrowing was six times what it was in november of last year. if we look at the year as a whole, remember the financial year is nowhere near over. it ends at the end of march. so far borrowing has had £240.9 billion and you can see on that second graph how it compares to the last 20 years or

so. it compares to the last 20 years or so. some estimates suggest that could now hit 372 billion by the end of the financial year. what does it mean for our national debt? that is the amount of money we owe as a country. that unsurprisingly has soared. £2.1 trillion, that is 99.5% of gdp. gdp is the value of our entire economy. the debt burden is historically very, very high. a level not seen since the early 19605. level not seen since the early 1960s. we should say borrowing at the moment is relatively cheap. interest rates are low so it is not may be the problem it has been in the past. nonetheless a lot of numbers for the chancellor, the uk finance minister to try to make the books balance. he has got his budget in march, that itself the lead from earlier this year. when there was so much uncertainty it did not seem there was much sense in trying to predict what happens next. the big question is who will pay? taxis may rise in some shape or form,

question is who will pay? taxis may rise in some shape orform, we know that for example in the uk the chancellor has frozen public sector pay, they will not get a pay rise. i think there will be some pretty tough decisions coming down the line about how we pay some of this money back. we do not have to pay it back immediately, but nonetheless with the sort of record figures we have been seeing over the course of this year, there is a lot of money being spent and as yet no clear indication about how and who will pay it back. then, thank you so much. the pfizer—biontech coronavirus vaccine could be rolled out within the eu as early as this sunday after approval from the european medicines agency. the amsterdam—based regulator brought the decision forward under pressure from eu states, following the earlier emergency approval of the jab in many other countries. mark lobel reports. hope in a bottle for over 440 million europeans. approval has come following pressure on the regulators, who were taking a more cautious approach than the uk and the us. urged to speed up by eu leaders, they gave the vaccine

the green light eight days earlier than planned. the european medical agency has given the pfizer—biontech vaccine the nod for all over 16s on condition of a review ina year. now europe's politicians are keen to get on the front foot. we have, of course, more or less the same amount per capita for biontech as the uk and we have three times more of the moderna vaccine that will be approved injanuary than the uk, so an average eu citizen will probably have a better chance of being vaccinated than the average uk citizen by march or february even. but europe's leaders will face the same hurdles as other leaders — like america's president—elect — in needing to convince a sceptical public of the safety of the vaccine. there's nothing to worry about. how are you feeling? great! for some, like 500 of the residents of this new york city nursing home

the pfizer—biontech job can't come soon enough. being very blunt with you, guys, it's been nine months of hell. our staff has been through a tremendous amount. if you think back to the horrors of march, april, may, and to finally receive that support, that recognition, that product for our health care heroes on the front lines to be first in line for the vaccine programme, it's warmly received. and with multiple vaccines now in use in america, including this moderna one approved just days ago, it means front line workers and army veterans like these ones in boston, massachusetts are getting another welcome layer of protection as they battle this invisible and increasingly infectious killer disease. mark lobel, bbc news. christina pagel is a professor of operational research at university college london and a member of the independent sage group of scientists scrutinising the government's handling of covid.

christina, lovely to see you. we have talked already today quite a bit about the variant and also the vaccine. we will come to that in a minute. i wanted your thoughts on what is happening right now with transmission rates. i am afraid it is not good news. i mean, just looking at the latest data which was up looking at the latest data which was up to about the 17th of december, tier 4 areas has almost doubled in that week. but what is really concerning is that your four is surrounded entirely by tier 2 regions. and the tier 2 areas have also doubled in that week. compared to tier 2 regions in the north and south west which have gone up by about 50%. which is not good news either, but it does mean that really having tier 2 is not working. what are you advising? do you think you're too should become tier 4 or the whole country should be tier 4? i think the whole country needs to be into your four because we have to

get ahead of it and we are not ahead of it. we are behind it right now. the hospital admissions are shooting up the hospital admissions are shooting up in the south. they are not yet in the north, and we do not want to see it happen everywhere. if we shut down now, it should stop that new variant becoming dominant in those areas. that is what we have to try to do. is the doubling of the rate in london and the south—east because of the new variant? can we put it down to that now? there is not definitive proof yet, but there is a lot of different types of circumstantial evidence suggesting it would be. if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, then it isa duck and walks like a duck, then it is a duck. whether we know it 100% sure or not we should act as if it is true. if it is true and we do not act, then we are in trouble. it has an emotional time for people and so much politics going on, would you then agree with matt hancock who

says it is out of control? yes. it is. it could not be worse timing. it is. it could not be worse timing. it is such bad timing that this strain has become dominant just is such bad timing that this strain has become dominantjust as we are heading into christmas. it is incredibly sad. i do not want to spend christmas here on my own either but it is something we have to do. especially now the vaccine is here, that is the one ray of hope, really. and we just have to hold on until we can get it out to people. so many of us have got children at home and we are worried about school starting again, what it all means, what are your thoughts on what should happen in january? it's really worrying. there seems to be indication that it's now spreads more easily among children than the normal variant. so that means it is

going to be more problematic to have schools open in the way they were before. but education is so important, children in school is so important, children in school is so important that i think the government has tojust important that i think the government has to just throw everything into the next two or three weeks and try to make souls as safe as possible. whether that is installing ventilation —— make schools as safe as possible. i am not saying these are magic bullets, but it is maybe just having. we have to be proactive and plan for how we can give children an education. to be proactive and plan for how we can give children an educationm terms of the science and data, is the 2-3 terms of the science and data, is the 2—3 weeks we have got long enough to collect the data to inform some of these decisions?” enough to collect the data to inform some of these decisions? i think trying... they are delaying schools bya trying... they are delaying schools by a week. delaying them to mid january is definitely a good idea. i do not what know what experiments they are doing to try and confirm

how this new variant behaves. i am hoping that a few weeks will give us a lot more information. what is really worrying is if we find it is spreading further out across the country. so i think we will know in a few weeks if it has or not. how realistic do you think this idea is of testing secondary school children when they get to school? with the lateral flow tests ? when they get to school? with the lateral flow tests? yes, when they get to school? with the lateralflow tests? yes, there has been questions about how accurate they are and whether that will present a false picture. they are not very accurate just on one test. if you have covid, you would only test positive about 50% of the time with that test. however, if you take several tests over a few days, the chance that you would test negative on all of them is really low. there isa on all of them is really low. there is a way of using them with repeat testing that could help identify children who are positive and take them out of school. but what it is

definitely not good for things like ca re definitely not good for things like care homes when it is used to say you are safe to go and see someone. that is definitely not what it means. it depends on how they are planning on using it and what they are going to do if they get a positive or negative test. before we let you go, wejust positive or negative test. before we let you go, we just wanted to share with our viewers a chart we have with our viewers a chart we have with hospitalisations. what is happening across the uk, particularly in tier 4 regions with people in hospital right now? the hospitalisation charts for the south—east, the east and london have just been on a really, really steep increase since the end of november. we are not seeing that elsewhere yet but there is no sign of it slowing down yet. what is really concerning as if you look at the overall number of people in hospital in england it is now also 70,800 people. that is only 1000 lower than we were in april. and —— 17,800

only 1000 lower than we were in april. and ——17,800 people. we are ina april. and ——17,800 people. we are in a period of extreme pressure for the nhs. and that will not go away for a while. very good to get your thoughts. thank you very much for joining us. this mantle does earlier he believes the lateral flow tests are the wrong test to roll out in schools for mass testing. the tests which we are being asked to used, this lateral flow test, has not been evaluated in schoolchildren. it had not been evaluated in the university students when we used it back in december and at the university of birmingham we have been looking at how well it worked in picking up cases of covid. we have unfortunately come to the conclusion we have probably missed 60 cases of covid, having found only two using this test. it is not a test which is suited to being used

in people who do not have symptoms. so it isa in people who do not have symptoms. so it is a big concern at the moment that the plans to roll this out in schools is using the wrong test. it is an accessible test but it is one which will miss people who have got covid. at birmingham, what we do is be retested students who had got negative results from the lateral flow test and we retested them with the pcr test. from that, we found out that we estimate we missed 60 students who probably went home from university with a covid. we spent six days testing? and the other question is the effort which is required. any university setting, we had to science students and postgraduate students to do the testing and we set up a big laboratory to test 7000. we found two positives having worked for seven days. schools being asked to do this, there are logistical challenges, but alongside at this testis challenges, but alongside at this test is not designed or suited for this role and the government has not

got evidence together to actually check whether it will work before it is being implemented. the studies which the government have done were done by porton down and the university of oxford, they were done in test and traced centres were symptomatic people. these were data which were released at the beginning of november two us all. the evaluation in the report is more helpful because it is being done in people who have not got symptoms. we heard a couple of weeks ago that they reckon they missed 50% in the first days of using that test. we are waiting for new data to come from them very soon which will give their final results. it isjust gradually coming out that the universities, there was no lateral testing of the test before we were asked to use it in that setting. the key thing to realise is that this testis key thing to realise is that this test is an imperfect test, everybody knows that, and its imperfections we re knows that, and its imperfections were mapped out in different ways in different settings. it is absolutely critical that it is tested before it is put into use. some remarkable

pictures to show you from hawaii. residents on the big island had been more to take shelter from ash after the volcano erupted on sunday night following a series of earthquakes. these pictures are incredible. love a fountain these pictures are incredible. love afountain in these pictures are incredible. love a fountain in up to 25 metres high and flowing into the base of the crater. that generated a growing lava lake. a magnitude 4.4 earthquake was recorded beneath the volcano around one hour after the eruption began. the volcano, one of the most active in the world, last erupted in 2018. jupiter and saturn have crossed paths in the night sky, appearing like a single bright star. the planets are more than 400 million miles apart, and just after sunset reached their closest point in 800 years. scientists suggest the timing of this ‘conjunction', may have been the source of a bright light in the sky 2,000 years ago — which became known as the ‘star of bethlehem'. just time to show you firefighters

in california calling out to rescue father christmas. he got stuck in some power lines because he had been a paragliding. you are watching bbc news. and now it is time for the weather. once again today we are looking at a north, south divide in our weather. across the north, it will be drier, brighter, but it will be colder. in the south, there is a lot of cloud around, some rain, but it is very mild for the time of year. we have got this week weather front across as producing some rain but we will see the rain pop up from the south—west later as a new area of low pressure approaches. a lot of cloud as we go through the afternoon with some spots of rain, the heavier rain coming in from the west. as we move north of that, the sunshine turning hazy at times. across northern ireland, northern england and southern scotland, some showers across the north and west. some wintry on tops of the hills. tempter

7-8 wintry on tops of the hills. tempter 7—8 general, but in the south highs of up to 13. through this evening and overnight, all this cloud and rain advances northwards. potentially getting into southern scotla nd potentially getting into southern scotland and northern ireland before the end of the night. further north, it will be called. still some showers and the wintry element will come down to about 250 metres or so. and there is also the risk of some frost. this area of low pressure tomorrow is quite potent. as it comes in across wales and south—west england, there is the potentialfor some gales. we still are hanging on to the milder conditions, as represented by the ambers in southern areas. more of a northerly as you can see from the wind arrows across the north of the country, so called for you. we have got all this rain following an already saturated ground. some will be heavy and persistent, risk of some localised flooding. strong winds in the west and south—west. for scotland and northern ireland, we are looking at drier conditions. it will be a colder day, so some of the showers

could have a wintry element even on lower levels. wednesday night, we see goodbye to that low pressure. for christmas eve and christmas day, there is a large area of high pressure. a lot of dry weather, some showers running down the coast. some of those showers could be wintry on the hills. but it is going to be a cold day whenever you are. that cold air finally cold day whenever you are. that cold airfinally getting down into southern areas. as we move on into christmas day on friday, frosty start, most of us will have dry conditions but it is unsettled on 01:58:35,686 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 boxing day.