your priceless gift of my life, i say thank you. thank you, thank you, thank you. applause public appreciation, so let's —— so richly deserve. time for a look at the weather. here's matt taylor. our weather watchers painted a picture of a near—perfect winter day. the grey skies further south, with more on the way of rain during the next 36 hours. let's show you the next 36 hours. let's show you the rainfall accumulation charts, where rainfall totals will be totting up over the next few days, mainly for england and wales, the

dark blues highlight one spot which could be particularly wet, 40—70 millimetres possible with minor flooding possible so keep up with the weather warnings on the bbc weather website. we will see more on the way of rain and drizzle develop a bit more widely, not everywhere, and certainly from the midlands northwards, we have blue skies continuing, even if the sunshine turns hazy. a cold night to come to that, not quite as cold as last night but the simplest around, frost free for england and wales, more an array of cloud and outbreaks of rain here, temperatures dropping only a few degrees from this afternoon in areas around the channel. tomorrow, this area of low pressure. to pep up the rain for england and wales and strengthen their wins. scotland and northern ireland staying that bit drier and brighter, some rain to the south—east of both, some showers in northern scotland but rain at times across england and wales. some brighter moments towards the south and east but the rain could be heavy

with the odd rumble of thunder. temperatures around the english channel around 13 celsius, but cold as the wind picks up from the midlands northwards, with winds touching 60 mph and wales and south—west england during the night. that low pressure on the move heading towards christmas eve, then cold air flooding into all of us to add a more festive pewter conditions as we head for christmas eve and christmas day. some flurries of snow on christmas eve over the higher ground of north wales, the peak district northwards, many places will have a dry day but very cold in eastern coasts, with added wind—chill, temperatures 4 degrees, feeling below freezing out there in the win. 0n feeling below freezing out there in the win. on christmas night into christmas morning, the white frost on the ground to greet you on christmas day rather than snow, but it still adds a bit of a festive pewter things. some showers in eastern england, turning wetter and windier to north—west scotland later but for most of you christmas day should be dry and bright with good sunny spells, feeling chilly,

turning my daughter was boxing day and the weekend, but it will be windy. more details throughout the week. thank you. —— turning milder on boxing day. a reminder of our top story... more than 1500 lorry drivers are still stuck in kent, over fears the new strain of coronavirus might spread to the continent. mandatory testing of drivers, could allow the border to reopen. that's it, so goodbye from me. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. have a very good afternoon. good afternoon. good afternoon, i'm chetan pathak with your latest sports news. we start with the world heavyweight champion anthonyjoshua who's told us he's giving a six figure sum to fund amateur boxing clubs in england, scotland and wales. the sport's been badly hit this year with clubs forced to close their doors because of the pandemic. last month the government announced a 300 million bailout plan for ii british sports to fight coronavirus,

but that didn't include amateur boxing. i cannot raise 300 million in a short space of time, but what i can do is come up with a sustainable solution for the long term. in the meantime, ican solution for the long term. in the meantime, i can make sure there is something that is substantial enough to continue with the lights being turned on and see them through this tough period. also, most importantly i feel it should bring attention to private investors, sponsors. supporting the kids, supporting the community, that will make a big difference. so if we can raise awareness, i think that will be the main thing. joshua's also been talking about a potential all—british heavyweight showdown with tyson fury. it would be the first fight in history in which all four heavyweight titles are on the line and joshua says he's ready. iam certain, i am certain, i am keen, iam certain, iam keen, i i am certain, i am keen, i am iam certain, iam keen, iam ready. we can do it back here if we have

to. honestly, it is about tyson fury, but at the same time it is not. it is about me challenging myself and getting my hands on that belt. i want to be an undisputed heavyweight champion, that is legacy. and also brings the attention to boxing. me tyson fury, aside from the trash talk and the height of the fight, we can do eg greatjob of bringing attention to boxing and say this is the biggest fight in history. we have come from a little community gym, give us some support, and who knows what the future can hold for the next generation. one in five professional rugby union players in england suffered concussion during the 2018—19 season, according to the latest medical figures released by the rugby football union. the rfu figures show that in 2018—19, for the eighth consecutive season, concussion was the most commonly reported match injury with just over 20% of players affected.

it's an increase from i6% in the previous season to that. several former players have already launched a legal case against the sport's authorities for alleged negligence in relation to dementia caused by playing. meanwhile, kevin sinfield says he believes "a lot more research" is needed before linking rugby league to brain diseases. sinfield is director of rugby at leeds rhinos and says it's important not to "guess and make assumptions" about the links before they're properly researched, and that players understand the risks involved. premier league players at clubs in tier 4 areas will soon be tested for coronavirus twice a week. top flight players have only been tested weekly since the start of this season. but with cases of covid—i9 increasing in london and the south east of england testing in those areas is stepping up to the same levels used during ‘project restart‘ in the summer. it'll happen as soon as it's practically possible. it's the quarter finals of the league cup tonight,

brentford play newcastle in the first game which kicks off at 5:30 tonight. after that, there's an opportunity for arsenal to do something about their dire run of form when they play manchester city. mikel arteta's side have lost 5 of their last 7 premier league games, and are having their worst start to a season in 46 years. and there was nearly a big shock at the world darts championships last night as world number three gerwyn price was given a scare byjamie lewis — a player ranked 60 places below him. the match went the distance, before a relieved price finally won it to book his place in the third round at alexandra palace. that's all the sport for now. i will have more for you throughout the afternoon. convicted as an american spy, us—british citizen paul whelan is preparing to spend christmas in a russian labour camp as talks to negotiate his release have faltered. in his first detailed interview since his arrest, mr whelan has described life

as a "very, very grim existence" and called for more to be done to get him out. he's been speaking to the bbc‘s sarah rainsford. russia calls this man an american spy, but paul whelan has told me he is a political hostage. he's been phoning me from prison to relate his story in detail for the first time. why did you come to russia generally? for months, we followed every custody hearing in court. each time, mr whelan would insist he was innocent. but the guards didn't want us to talk. he is now described directly how he was at this moscow hotel, getting ready for a wedding, when an old friend dropped by unexpectedly.

moments later, at least eight fsb security officers burst into the room. a former us marine, paul whelan visited russia six times in all, and often posted pictures on social media. it was one of his russian friends who claimed he'd asked for secret data on behalf of us military intelligence. that man works for the fsb, so we are obscuring his identity.

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. 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. residents on hawaii's big island have been warned to take shelter from ash after the killowaya volcano erupted on sunday night, following a series of earthquakes. it was contained within the summit caldera with lava fountaining up to 25 metres high and flowing into the base of the crater, generating a growing lava lake. a magnitude 4.4 earthquake was recorded beneath the volcano's south flank around an hour

after the eruption began. kilauea, which is one of the most active volcanos 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'. earlier, my colleague annita mcveigh found out more about the new strain of coronavirus in your questions answered... and with me to answer your questions today are professor linda bauld, who is chair of public health at the university of edinburgh,

and also professor stephen evans from the london school of hygiene and tropical medicine. linda and stephen, morning to you and thank you very much forjoining us today. linda, this first question is from christine for you. why is this virus spreading so quickly if we are wearing masks and washing our hands endlessly? should everyone be made to wear facemasks when they are outside or travelling if that would help stop the spread? well, that is a good question from christine. of course there is a lot of discussion about this new variant, how it spreads, but also generally the fact that we still have a high number of cases of covid—i9 in the uk. so, why is the virus still spreading generally? well, it is still spreading because of course people are still coming into contact with one another. even with the new, harsher restrictions, people still have to go to work, people are still using public transport, and because it is colder, we are in the winter, people are spending more time indoors. so that is the main thing. in terms of dealing with it, i mean, washing our hands

is still essential, even with this new variant. of course it will be affected by soap and warm water, just as other strains of covid—i9 are. in terms of face coverings, indoors versus outdoors, which i think is the crux of christine's question. some countries have acquired their populations to wear face coverings outdoors, but the evidence for that is pretty limited. we note that it transmits more easily indoors, particularly where there is poor ventilation. in fact, one study from japan i was looking at a little while ago suggested it was probably about 18 times more likely for people to pick it up indoors than outdoors. but face coverings, finally, outdoors may have a role if you are in a crowded place or, crucially, if you are moving between indoor and outdoor areas. for example, when you are shopping you might as well keep it on. but that is the brief answer for christine's good question. and of course everybody needs to be doing the same thing. everybody needs to be wearing their masks and washing their hands to protect not only themselves but everybody else, as we have

repeated throughout the year. stephen, this next one for you from kevin, who asks, can you explain how the new strain of the covid virus is more transmissible? what does this mean exactly? how is it able to be transmitted more readily? is it able to get through masks more easily and as it carried in the air for further distances? thank you very much for inviting me on the programme, it is a privilege to be here. thank you, kevin, for the question. it is a good question. the first thing to realise is that all viruses that come out of your mouth or nose, respiratory viruses, are carried on droplets or in an aerosol through the air, as linda has said. and so having a mask will reduce the spread of that virus if you are infected quite notably. and that will apply to all viruses, and it is probably for that reason,

because people have been wearing masks and being careful, that we have had very little flu this winter. this new variant is no different. it is not going to get through masks more easily than the previous variant. the difference is right at the level of the virus itself, and it is right on what is called this spike protein that everyone has heard of. and so what is happening, as far as we can tell, and we do not know all the answers yet, some of this is what we assume without having very definite data, but what is happening is that the body's own response to this, for those who have not been vaccinated and not had it before, very often they can repel a little of the virus. and a lot of people will not even get an asymptomatic infection,

but people who repel the virus will then not transmit it. but if itjust gets into them a little bit better and it looks as though this particular variant gets into people a little bit better, and there are ordinary immune system is not quite as good at dealing with it, that means it isjust more likely that the person you meet with a bit of virus will actually cause you to get the virus and then start replicating, reproducing the virus and getting symptoms. and so the reason that it is more trans transmittable, if it is, is right at the level of the virus. very microscopic, nothing to do with how big the mask or anything to do with that. interesting. and not that it carries on the air or anything like that. yet, as we have seen, 70% more transmissible, this variant, so clearly very

important that people do adapt those measures as well, i would assume. and, linda, this brings me on to the next question from jane. we have had a lot of questions along this theme. if i have had coronavirus recently, can i now get the new variant? if i have had coronavirus, can i spread the new variant? another important question from jane. just to emphasise, we all need to continue following the guidance, even if we have had covid—i9 because there is a number of things we simply do not know about immunity. the first thing is that immunity can be short—lived, and we know that is commonly the case with other coronaviruses. we have to be very cautious they are. there have been a case reports of reinfection with the virus, that is definitely the case around the world, so we do not know how common reinfection is. it can even occur after not a long period after the first infection. so just important to emphasise that.

i was looking at the nervtag minutes that were published at the weekend, this is the group advising government that has been looking at this new variant, and they make a note there that they do not know about reinfection with relation to this new variant but they expect more data to be available soon. so the bottom line is even if somebody has had covid—i9, it does not necessarily mean they are immune, and they may get it again. but also they may be able to pass it onto others, so we all have to continue to follow the type of guidance we have been discussing. a very clear answer, that one. professor evans, this question from dorothy, who wonders if the vaccine being given at present will be any good against the new variant of the virus. well, we do not know for certain. it is quite likely that it will. the vaccines have been trialled with a number of variants, effectively. not deliberately, just because the virus mutates just by chance all the time. and so it will have been effective

against a number of variants. there are good reasons to say that the vaccine is likely to at least reduce the severity of any illness that someone has due to the new variant, and it may prevent it in the same way. but we simply do not yet know. we will know that through two methods. we will know it through people looking at the virus in the lab and looking at how the vaccine deals with that virus. and secondly, because we have already vaccinated a very large number of people, it is in the hundreds of thousands already, we are going to be able to track what has happened to those people and see whether they get covid. and so, during january, we will know the answer to the question. as soon as that? well, that will be really valuable data, isn't it? and more people who are vaccinated,

the more detail will be. the next one for you, linda, from john. what is the maximum allowed in a bubble for indoors on christmas day, ignoring children? i don't think we can ignore children, can we? no. i do not think we know wherejohn‘s based in the uk, so i'm just going to very quickly run through what we know across the uk. if you are in a tier 4 area, which applies to a large part of england now, unfortunately you are not being permitted to mix indoors with other households, even on christmas day, which is really difficult for everybody here, but that is the government guidance. tier i—3, you are allowed to meet up to three households indoors, there is not a limit on the number of people, adults or children across those three households. that is also the case in northern ireland, and indeed they are allowed to meet on one of the days between the 23rd and the 27th of december with up to three households. in wales, you are only allowed to meet up to two households, and one of them can be an extended

bubble, extended household. and finally, in scotland, you are in law allowed to meet with up to three households, but the government is saying that has to have a limit of eight people, not including children. so it could be eight adults plus children. i hope that was crystal clear. it has taken me a while to realise what is happening across the uk, but that is the current situation. i guess you have done enough of these at your questions answered at bbc, linda, to know that by heart by now. even if the rules and the guidance keep evolving, so well done for that. john, it does depend on where you are. unfortunately you do not see, but i hope that answer helps you. let's try and press on and get through a few more questions if we can. stephen, with the huge amount of investment into the covid—i9 vaccine, has this helped research into other illnesses, for example better flu vaccines or treatments for the common cold, asks brian black. it has not translated into that yet, but it is quite likely that we will, having gained the knowledge we have

for the vaccine against covid—19, that there will be improvements in flu vaccines. common cold, i very much doubt. the common cold viruses are notjust coronaviruses, but other viruses which mutate very quickly indeed. and so the protection that we will have from a vaccine against them would not last very long. so the investment required to keep changing that for a disease that does not lead to death on the whole is unlikely to be made. whereas for flu, yes, i think there will be improvement. but what may be more important is we have to realise we live in a global society, and for a number of the diseases that are around in many countries, infectious diseases are such a killer in low and middle income countries that the knowledge we have got from this may be able to be used

for some of these other diseases. oh, that the common cold was all we were dealing with right now. nick, linda, says my partner is a nurse and is working on christmas day — so my question is can we meet up on boxing day instead? i suspect this is another one that depends on where they are. to a certain extent, but actually that is pretty consistent across the uk. i think i have run through what days. northern ireland is the only area which has flexibility on the days, in which case that would be possible. so even for key workers, there is no exceptions, it is just christmas day for wales, scotland and england. but what i would say is the exception to that is support bubbles. so, if that partner is part of your support bubble, you can still see them on other days. so i think it depends whether it is a support bubble or not. i am just going to squeeze one more in. it is an important one, i think, which was for you, linda. what would have to be done in schools to ensure minimal transmission given that at present there is limited social distancing

and poor ventilation? or is remote learning, blended learning the only safe way to to return to education? the most important thing we can do for our schools is to try and get infection levels in the community to the lowest level possible because schools reflect what is happening in the community. there are other things we can do to keep schools safer. more distancing, ventilation, for the older pupils, obviously face coverings when they are moving around. but i think the debate about education is about the harms of removing children from school for many weeks or months. they are so significant that even if we cannot eliminate risk in schools, we have to weigh up those two things. 0k, professor linda bauld, chair of public health at the university of edinburgh, and professor stephen evans from the london school of hygiene and tropical medicines, thank you both so much for your time and for answering those questions. thanks to our viewers, as always, for sending those questions in.

hello. we have seen contrasting weather fortunes across the uk today. for many northern areas of the uk, we have seen plenty of sunshine. beautiful day earlier in cumbria. whereas the further south you are, it has been great, it has been damp, -- it —— it has been grey. and it has been fairly drizzly, as well. it is southern areas where we are likely to see more in the way of rain during the next 36 hours. this chart shows where rainfall amounts will be accumulating, particularly across england and wales, and especially is one from wales to the midlands, towards east anglia. here we could see 40—70 millimetres of rain. that could just enhance the risk of some more flooding as we go through the coming days. as we go through the rest of today, you can see it is going to turn wet across parts of wales, central and southern england, mildest of the air here. but into the evening, there will still be some clear skies in northern england, scotland and northern ireland. already turning cold quite quickly. cloud will increase across northern ireland and southern scotland through the night. further rain at times across england and wales. there will be some clear skies

around, too, but it will be another mild one the further south you are. temperatures only dropping a few degrees from the day time values. northern england and northwards, though, and there is a chance of frost for some into tomorrow morning. this is the chart for wednesday. bringing that intensification of the rain is this area of low pressure. strong and gusty winds developing later on towards wales and the south—west, too. some of the heaviest rain may be in north—west wales and through that zone from wales, the midlands, towards east anglia. could see some rumbles of thunder with it. there will be sun, though, in the south where the skies could brighten at times. allowing temperatures up to around 13—14. but feeling increasingly chilly further north. scotland and northern ireland enjoying the rest of the weather. 0ne ireland enjoying the rest of the weather. one or two showers that are wintry over higher ground. colder airwill take wintry over higher ground. colder air will take place for all of us as we go through the rest of the week. low pressure pushes through. northern when stickers into a bit of a festive gel. 0n northern when stickers into a bit of a festive gel. on christmas eve, first of all, it will be a case of a few showers around. those will be when tea, particularly over the hills. most places will have dry and sunny weather at times. some strong

winds down the eastern coast of england, making it feel especially cold with an added wind chill. 4—7 the highs. widespread frost will follow to take us into christmas day. it is a festive frost rather than a white christmas for many. there will be one or two showers on the east coast, not ruling out the odd flurry in amongst that. particularly in the north york nerves. well air later in scotland. elsewhere a chilly but bright christmas day.

this is bbc news. our top stories. the french government is expected to announce plans to lift the cross—channel travel ban. around one and a half thousand lorry drivers sent a second night in their cabs waiting at dover. the us governmenttop medical adviser is preparing to be vaccinated against the virus within hours. we will speak to him alive. president trump wa nted speak to him alive. president trump wanted to build a wall, but will us immigration policy change underjoe biden? we report from the us — mexico border. it is one of the word's biggest lotteries, the winning tickets are drawn for spain isa winning tickets are drawn for spain is a laudable, or the fat