this is bbc news with me christian fraser. a new uk record, 80,000 positive cases in just the past 2a hours. omicron is rampant. london is the epicentre. but britain is fighting back. huge numbers around the country were queuing today for their boosters. let's keep going and let's keep giving omicron both barrels and let's slow the spread and give the vaccines more time. president biden is in kentucky — amid all the destruction and the despair that was left by the weekend's tornadoes. 58 years on from the the assassination of presidentjohn f kennedy, the us national archive releases

another tranche of secret documents, compiled by the cia and the fbi and the little boy in australia who mixed up his order and maxed out his dad's credit card on ice cream. hello, more people have tested positive for covid in the uk in this past twenty four hours, than on any other day in the last twenty—two months of this pandemic. almost 80,000 test results came back positive — and the true number of infection right now in the uk is likely to be much higher. the recent spike is of course down to this new,

highly contagious variant. 0mnicron — is already the dominant strain in the capital and is soon expected to overtake delta as the uk's dominant variant. scientists are putting the emphasis on the booster programme —three doses of the covid—19 vaccine will provide good protection against this variant. but at sobering press conference at downing sreet a few hours ago, england's chief medical officer chris whitty said many more records will be broken in the coming weeks. this is a really serious threat at the moment. there are several things we do not know but all the things that we do know are bad. and the principal one being the speed in which this is moving. it's moving an absolutely phenomenal pace in between the time that it first starts to really take off and away people will be able to see and the point where we will have to be in very large numbers will be a short one. in effect there are two coronavirus epidemics running concurrently. delta — the existing one, and now 0micron on top. and london is where it is worst. take a look at this chart which has been tracking the number of cases in london over the last few months. you can see the delta cases holding steady —

but look at that bottom line in red, that's 0micron and that vertical line is the wall of infection thats coming at us. according to one medical expert today — the virus is so prevalent in the capital that londoners with the classic symptoms of a cold, headache, sore throat, runny nose, bouts of sneezing, then they are now more likely to have covid—19. fever cough and loss of smell are apparently now in the minority of symptoms. it poses the biggest risk to those people who still refuse to get vaccinated. here in the uk it is around 11%. but in london — where 0micron has spread the most — the rate is even higher, maybe even as high as one—third of people here are yet to have received a single dose of the vaccine. in fact — london boroughs make up all 14 of the least vaccinated areas in the uk, according to a story this morning in the times. we should be slightly cautious with those statistics, because they are measured against the pre pandemic population of london, and we don't know how many have left during the pandemic. let's talk to london

gp drammara hughes, she is running a vaccine hub at bloomsbury surgery and is clinical director for an inner london, primary care network. so you are seeing first hand these infections going up doctor, what are the pcr tests telling you? good evening. it is a very stark change compared to where we were some 68 months ago where we are seeing more and more positive tests and they are increasing by the day. so, on monday, i saw about 20% of the i reviewed that were positive and i can't tell whether it is still to or omicron but yesterday, the tesla review were positive and today, about 66% of the tests are positive. so it's an upward surge in the states. but

positive. 50 it's an upward surge in the states. �* positive. 50 it's an upward surge in the stake— the states. but the professor told us today was _ the states. but the professor told us today was that _ the states. but the professor told us today was that from _ the states. but the professor told us today was that from five - the states. but the professor told us today was that from five days. us today was that from five days ago, was on 10% of cases and up to 51% of cases today. so, that is an extraordinary exponential rise and what effect it's having on hospitalisations and what do you sing at a local level? hospitalisations are increasing and we're seeing in london that it's going up but it's predominantly in the unvaccinated area because we have ramped up the boosters and so a lot of are more vulnerable population are vaccinated. we have a long way to go and his omicron is more prevalent in this area, modelling suggests that more people will be hospitalised just because there are more cases and so, we really are in a race against time to get thatjob and the people. i was really are in a race against time to get that job and the people. get that “ob and the people. i was a bit get that job and the people. i was a bit taken aback _ get that job and the people. i was a bit taken aback at _ get that job and the people. i was a bit taken aback at how _ get that job and the people. i was a bit taken aback at how far _ get that job and the people. i was a bit taken aback at how far behind i get that job and the people. i was a | bit taken aback at how far behind we

are because we report vaccination levels at a national level and when you look at london, if those figures are correct, that may be a third of londoners that have not even had one jab. those pretty scary statistic considering what is coming. something we've been aware of throughout the vaccination campaign and it's not through lack of trying, london has a very diverse population in a very mobile population as well. i work in a borough which is the boroughs where uptake is low. very recently we saw an influx of afghan refugees whose vaccination status has not been very clear to us with the vaccination status is but they have been coming up forward for the vaccines. so the steps to necessarily tell the full story. there have been some groups in populations where cultural and religious barriers have been difficult at the start. but we have worked with those communities and we

have worked with community leaders move worked with faith leaders to make sure we reach the population we have the dialogue and we continue to do that. we've had things like pop—ups, vaccine buses, we have been very aware of weather has been a challenge in terms of vaccine uptake and will continue to work with people. we are getting there slowly, but we need to be very careful as to how we interpret the statistics. but but i can see from my colleagues on the ground, we are doing everything we can to make sure that we reach those people. the we can to make sure that we reach those neonate-— we can to make sure that we reach those people. the french president 'ust said those people. the french president just said the _ those people. the french president just said the last _ those people. the french president just said the last hour _ those people. the french president just said the last hour that - those people. the french president just said the last hour that he - those people. the french president just said the last hour that he can l just said the last hour that he can see a scenario where it is entirely possible that in his country, the vaccine will become mandatory as other vaccines are mandatory in france. should we be thinking about that as a society? because if we do not do that over 30 people were not vaccinated, which is going to go round and round and were going to give the vaccine does variant or the next variant, room to progress. i

think it's very hard to compare us to france. france is a much more vaccine hesitant country than the uk. we are actually country that does come forward as a whole and you can see that in the stats that we are seeing at the moment. i'm not one for compulsory vaccinations. i much more about having a dialogue. we do not do this with our patients and i don't think we should do this with the covid—i9 vaccine. and where we are seeing vaccine hesitancy, people are gradually coming forward we are inspiring them with confidence. we may not be fully there yet but we must not give up. i think france is a very different picture to us. and so, i am not convinced we need to go down the compulsory vaccine route. i would keep it as a last resort. and compulsory vaccine route. i would keep it as a last resort.— keep it as a last resort. and dave had a very _ keep it as a last resort. and dave had a very busy — keep it as a last resort. and dave had a very busy day, _ keep it as a last resort. and dave had a very busy day, so _ keep it as a last resort. and dave | had a very busy day, so thank you for coming on here with us. today is the first day

of the new covid rules that have come into force in england — and that includes the vaccine certificates — or proof of a negative test — that are required to go into a large indoor events. there are several premier league matches on tonight. we were going to send a reporter to burnley to turf moor, which of course i had fully endorsed, but the game is off tonight, because watford who were visting have infection in theirteam. and so do several others. andrew moon is at the brighton and hove albion game tonight, they are taking on wolverhampton wanderers. brighton fence have been asked to bring proof of double vaccination or negative test this season of the cloud is now saying they would check around 20% of those who come through the area to check and see if they have their passport on them. there are also asking fans to fill in a form but ticket holders left only after in with the whole season and they're asked to wear masks inside they're asked to wear masks inside the stadium when they're not eating or drinking. desperate to try to keep fans inside the ground after so long with empty stadiums. it is not just off the pitch that is an issue,

they have three players in the covid—i9 who will not be able to play here tonight. let's look at some of the day's other news 74 7a people are now confirmed to have died and many more confirmed missing. endorse springs, one worst affected places were as much is 75% of the town is believed to have been destroyed. he is taking his position behind the podium and let's have a little listen to what he is saying. kentucky, making this one of the deadliest tornadoes. almost ia people are confirmed dead in other states with dozens of people still fearful of where they are. and i do not have permission to use their names but i met one couple on the way up and said they're still looking for four of their friends. they do not know where they are. and those who have lost someone, there

is no words for the pain of losing someone. a lot of us know it. a lot of us understand it. especially around the holidays where everything is supposed to be happy and joyful. it was a long time ago i got a phone call around the holidays and found out, i was in washington as a young senator, not sworn in yet, about to be hired and the staff and i got a call from a first responder saying that there had been an accident, a tractor—trailer broadsided my wife with my three kids inside my wife and daughter are dead. my mother used to always say something very terrible something good will happen. something good has happened out of this. it cannot be all bad. we have to make it better. and so folks, those who have lost someone, know how tough it is and you know how tough it is. it may feeljust hours after the storm, we just came from this area, the gibson pharmacy was

full of families ready to meet santa claus and i was completely gone. and many communities have been damaged and destroyed in your town as well. there's a saying in a small town. people know about it when you're born and they care about it when you die. and know about it when you're born in the care about it when you die. so many places, destruction was met with compassion, first responders saving each other�*s lives in support. i mean, iasked responders saving each other�*s lives in support. i mean, i asked and in support. i mean, iasked and i'm notjoking you, i asked when i got to the area, with the first thing my first responders, what they heard and they said they were amazed. all they heard was by people just going out helping one another. everybody. everybody. just stepping up. it's incredible. it's incredible how you will step up. so, folks, the fact is

i'm going to make sure the federal government steps up to make sure we do every single thing. for years and years the us senator and vice president, we had a lot of serious storms. hurricanes, oceans rising in a whole range of things. but you know what, it took a long time, it shouldn't take any time. we have the wherewithal to get it done. were going to get every single thing you need and i'm going to make sure that the federal government.— the federal government. putting federal funding _ the federal government. putting federal funding into _ the federal government. putting federal funding into kentucky i the federal government. putting l federal funding into kentucky and federalfunding into kentucky and they are going to need it because that time has 75% of it and has been destroyed. 0ur correspondent nomia iqbal is in bowling green, kentucky. it is always difficult for a president to time it right when to arrive at a disaster zone in the press secretary said yesterday that he hopes to be a source of comfort for people there today and what sort

of questions will he be asked? the wa the of questions will he be asked? iia: way the president has of questions will he be asked? "ii2 way the president has handled of questions will he be asked? i“i2 way the president has handled these disasters is very closely scrutinised and one of the situation, especially being here is the way the community has been getting together and really trying to pick people up and i'm joined by travis, a resident here in kentucky, just tell us what it is been like in terms of people pulling together. it isjust indicative of the culture here _ isjust indicative of the culture here and — isjust indicative of the culture here and it's a blessing to see and i really— here and it's a blessing to see and i really appreciate that the community can support one another because _ community can support one another because we — community can support one another because we all need help. and i need help every— because we all need help. and i need help every day and i needed help last week— help every day and i needed help last week in this week, these people need a _ last week in this week, these people need a little bit more help than they did — need a little bit more help than they did last week but that's where were here — they did last week but that's where were here. in they did last week but that's where were here. , ,., ., ., were here. in this neighbourhood x exnerienced _ were here. in this neighbourhood x exnerienced a _ were here. in this neighbourhood x experienced a lot _ were here. in this neighbourhood x experienced a lot of tragedy. - were here. in this neighbourhood x| experienced a lot of tragedy. you're told me before about one particular

neighbour who has gone through unimaginable grief.— neighbour who has gone through unimaginable grief. within 100 yards of us, all unimaginable grief. within 100 yards of us. all the — unimaginable grief. within 100 yards of us, all the members _ unimaginable grief. within 100 yards of us, all the members of _ unimaginable grief. within 100 yards of us, all the members of the - unimaginable grief. within 100 yards of us, all the members of the family| of us, all the members of the family passed _ of us, all the members of the family passed away during the storm and another— passed away during the storm and another one with a loss to children and there's— another one with a loss to children and there's still looking for another— and there's still looking for another one and the grief that is unimaginable, i have four children of my— unimaginable, i have four children of my own — unimaginable, i have four children of my own and i don't understand how they can _ of my own and i don't understand how they can deal with that but god put me here today and i hope to serve those people well. he me here today and i hope to serve those people well.— me here today and i hope to serve those people well. he promised that whatever suaport — those people well. he promised that whatever support you _ those people well. he promised that whatever support you guys _ those people well. he promised that whatever support you guys needed l those people well. he promised that whatever support you guys needed aj whatever support you guys needed a federal level, how important is it to hear that what more do you want from the president? i to hear that what more do you want from the president?— from the president? i don't know that i need _ from the president? i don't know that i need anything _ from the president? i don't know that i need anything from - from the president? i don't know that i need anything from him . from the president? i don't know| that i need anything from him and from the president? i don't know i that i need anything from him and i don't _ that i need anything from him and i don't know— that i need anything from him and i don't know if anyone from the community doesjust don't know if anyone from the community does just prayers, don't know if anyone from the community doesjust prayers, i think is the _ community doesjust prayers, i think is the important thing right now from _ is the important thing right now from the — is the important thing right now from the federal level, i really don't — from the federal level, i really don't know because we like to take

care of— don't know because we like to take care of one — don't know because we like to take care of one another and we hope to do it welt — care of one another and we hope to do it well. ~ ., ., , , care of one another and we hope to do itwell.~ ., ., , , care of one another and we hope to doitwell. ., ., , , , do it well. what travis is saying is somethin: do it well. what travis is saying is something that i've _ do it well. what travis is saying is something that i've heard - do it well. what travis is saying is i something that i've heard endorsing springs, everand something that i've heard endorsing springs, ever and mayfield as well, people do want the government to give some sort of response, but they're also just getting on with that. they're helping each other and people come from other states to give that support because they know that it would take some time for people to rebuild and recover and thatis people to rebuild and recover and that is what they are trying to do. that really comes through and i have wondered how many people there with such devastation, they lost their homes and businesses, how much insurance will people have, for they have tornado insurance, is that something people by?- have tornado insurance, is that something people by? when i was in the area, a girls mobile _ something people by? when i was in the area, a girls mobile home was i the area, a girls mobile home was destroyed and she said that she could, the situation with her

insurance is something thatjust to find out and so the way fema works, the federal management agency is that some people of colour to a very bureaucratic but you have to check to see if your home is insured and go through it and if not, you have to get on to fema, but one of the other challenges here is that in order to do that, if to get online. use the internet and people do not have that right now but there are fema officials will be on the ground and they are here in kentucky to try and they are here in kentucky to try and help people as much as possible and help people as much as possible and as i said at the moment, there are construction vehicles, lots of people from the church, from other charities as well who are trying to help people navigate this because no one here is of a country something like this before.— like this before. thank you very much and _ like this before. thank you very much and also _ like this before. thank you very much and also to _ like this before. thank you very much and also to your - like this before. thank you very much and also to your guest. like this before. thank you veryl much and also to your guest and like this before. thank you very i much and also to your guest and it is great to hear his thoughts. thank you for that.

stay with us on bbc news, still to come: new documents linked to the assassination of presidentjohn f kennedy were released in the last few hours — we'll find out what's in them. england's chief medical officer says uk covid cases will hit record highs in the coming weeks. here's our medical editor fergus walsh we could get to a astonishingly high numbers by the end of the year and the proportion of those are going to be serious and that sounds scary, but in many ways, we are in a much better place than we were this time last year. hospitaladmissions better place than we were this time last year. hospital admissions for the over 85 some of the group most at risk are nine times lower now than they were in january and these are than they were injanuary and these are pre—omicron figures but than they were in january and these are pre—omicron figures but that is because of vaccines given extraordinarily high protection against severe illness and if you double or triple jabbed, the individual risks from covid—i9

should be much lower than they were a year ago. but if there is a tsunami of cases in the the nearly 1,500 secret documents relating to the 1963 assassination of us presidentjohn f kennedy have been opened to the public today. the national archives and records administration released the documents in response to a white house directive to make the records public. but not all of them, some still remain classified. in factjo biden is the first president to come close to acknowledging, what many conspiracy theorists have long assumed: that there are documents relating to the assassination which are sealed away and might never be made public. at least not while anyone is still around who remembers that fateful day. let's talk to mark zaid.

specialising in freedom of speech. think of being with us and went to the documents we've got a hold of today, what did they tell us? maw; today, what did they tell us? many of these documents _ today, what did they tell us? many of these documents have - today, what did they tell us? ifié�*ul' of these documents have been previously released in some form and i think you're missing the news reports on some of them are actually talking about documents that we've known about for many years but there are so many of them that people get confused about what's been released or not. but there is an 80 make interesting information in these documents, almost 20,000 pages of material, particularly surrounding the visit to mexico city in september of 1963 when he visited the soviet and cuban embassies. and that's where a lot of mystery still exists surrounding much of what led up exists surrounding much of what led up to the assassination in november stopped by the soviet line keeps coming back because there's another line within the memos detailing

anonymous phone calls to the us embassy in australia before the shooting in which the caller suggests that the soviet government is planning to assassinate kennedy. that is a year before the shooting. did we know that? i can't swear to it as i'm sitting here because like that happen all the time. even today. there's a lot of crazies who call into different emphases and when i worked on the pan am 103 case at the bbc, for victims of the families, there were similar calls that came into the government embassies in the weeks prior to the bombing and they had nothing to do with the actual bombing, it's just coincidence. looking at the documents, some of what went toward president biden said may never be released, a lot of the deals with irs records that by statute can't be released, tax returns, things like

that, other documents pertaining to court records that are under seal at the moment and only one of them was determined by the assassination records review board which was the designated records that were being reviewed today as assassination records and going out of business, on the one court case is relevant to the actual assassination events. pretty mundane stuff with material of conspiracy theories. do you think there is still details in these documents that are not being released at a sensitive and relate to cold war operations and that is why the cia and fbi don't want them released? ila why the cia and fbi don't want them released? ., ., , ., ., released? no doubt some of that ertains released? no doubt some of that pertains to _ released? no doubt some of that pertains to the _ released? no doubt some of that pertains to the type _ released? no doubt some of that pertains to the type of— released? no doubt some of that pertains to the type of category. | pertains to the type of category. when example which is a small number of records but it's important for people to understand as they do not

jump people to understand as they do not jump to the conclusion that there is some grand conspiracy gone now. there is no doubt that we in the united states have sources, live human sources in the cuban and hopefully even the soviet 1980 —— soviet embassy and they met with 0swald or at least reported on the back to the cia, house 1963 what sounds like a long time ago 58 years ago, but they're only about 25 years old. there are only in the 80s now. there's a good chance that they are still alive and their family would still alive and their family would still be alive so there could still be harmed actual human life that could exist today. but we piercing in these records, even the slightest little details help historians understand what happened back around that time period but if and is expecting a smoking gun in 2021 of the next year but we hopefully get a lot more 2022, they are going to be

waiting a lot longer because. this next story is one that many parents will find familiar. there you are, with a bored child in tow, at some event you have probably dragged them to, and they are plaguing you for your phone. and to keep them quiet, you of course, relent. if you do that, then next time, make sure your apple pay is disabled. sadly no one gave that advice to kris king. he gave his son christian his phone to keep him occupied while his sister's played touch rugby — and when the four year—old handed it back he told kris that something was on the way. which he duly ignored. until, uber eats turned up at his work. with an ice cream order costing $1,139 australian dollars. the order included all of christian's favourite flavours — two tiramisu, two mushroom cake, a chocolate log, eight/nine 1.5

litre tubs of strawberries and cream and double dolche gelato for good measure. kris naturally was furious and told his son christmas this year cancelled. but ubereats has kindly refunded the order and christian has since been forgiven, and is assured that for now he is back in father christmas�*s good books. and just to add, i've rejoined twitter after much persuasion from my team, so do get back in touch, i'm @cfraserbbc. we have a new programme planned. looking forward to that and we hope you willjoin us in the new year.

hello there. some areas have had a lovely sunny day today. and it's felt very mild too. many other areas though held onto the cloud. it was quite gloomy for some. particularly across southern britain, there was some rain across the north of the uk. now tomorrow, high pressure will dominate the ceiling. will dominate the scene. it looks mostly dry. and once again, it's going to stay pretty mild with temperatures in the double figures for most. this is the weather front is going to bring patchy rain to northern ireland, northern england, central southern scotland, it will continue to drift into northwards this evening and overnight, becoming confined to the northwest of scotland. further south, it will be mainly dry and there be quite a lot of cloud around and also some clear spells. the winds will be lighter further south and we get to the clear spells,

we'll see some mist and fog developing, but it stays breezy for the northwest of northern ireland and certainly for western scotland, closer to that weather front. temperature wise, generally eight, nine where we have the cloud but down there is low single—digits where skies cleared and you have an early mist and fog in the morning. that should clear away we should see some brightness from northeast scotland and maybe eastern england and in most places there will be a rather cloudy and gloomy day, unfortunately. we'll see that weather front pushing northwards into the northern islands, so there's a showery burst of rain with much of scotland and northern ireland looks dry with temperatures atjust ten, 12 maybe even 13 degrees. so, again, it will be milder and particularly pleasant where we have the sunshine. two thursday evening, we will see the clouds returning to thursday evening, we will see the clouds returning to mist and fog where we have clear skies across the east of scotland and northeast england. for areas of high pressure parked across the uk thursday and friday, the jet stream doing an omega pattern, an omega block. this area of high pressure set to sit around for quite a while and we'll have some fairly mild air wrapped into the system and we can see some quarter wings of air on either side.

so, generally, it will be fairly mild although many pleas will be mild although many places will be rather cloudy again on friday, it might not feel quite as mild because of the lack of sunshine. we could see a bit of brightness though across western areas and toward central and eastern scotland. temperatures at best southern and western areas, ten and 11 degrees, otherwise the most are in single digits. similar stories as we head into the weekend, a lot of cloud, there are limited spells of sunshine, generally mild for the time of year. it will feel a little bit cooler cost eastern areas of part two of the weekend.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the uk records over 78,000 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily figure of the pandemic. the federal reserve signals interest rate rises are on the way next year as it exits from policies enacted at the start of the coronavirus crisis. ghislaine maxwell's lawyers ask the presiding judge to allow several defence witnesses to testify anonymously in her sex—trafficking trial, which resumes tomorrow. plus, the remarkable story of the north atlantic right whale tangled in a fishing net that still managed to give birth.

welcome back. for the best part of this year, the words "transitory" and "inflation" went hand in hand. central banks around the world were betting that higher prices would fade in the latter part of 2021. but that never materialised. in fact, the inflation report released last friday by the us labour department showed inflation rose at its highest rate in a0 years. and today, the federal reserve has changed tac somewhat and is beginning to take a much more aggressive position against the inflation we are seeing. here's the fed chair, jerome powell. at today's meeting, the committee also decided to double the pace of reductions in its asset purchases. beginning in mid january we will reduce the monthly pace of our purchases by $20 billion for treasury securities and $10 million for agency mortgage—backed

securities. if the economy evolves broadly as expected, similar reductions will likely be appropriate each month, implying that increases in our securities holdings would cease by mid—march, a few months sooner than we anticipated in early november. we will come back to what that all means and why the bank is easing off on its support in a second. but let's quickly focus on the uk, because it is a similar picture here — the cost of living has risen at its fastest rate in a decade, with inflation reaching 5.1% last month, those figures just revised upwards. the office for national statistics says rising transport and energy costs are largely to blame. so the question is, does today's fed announcement guide the other central banks around the world? and if so, is it going to affect you and me? let's bring in former bank of england member david blanchflower, who is now a professor of economics at dartmouth college in new hampshire. very good to have you with us this evening. let mejust very good to have you with us this evening. let me just put on screen for ourfear is in the united

states, so we're gonna look at food, energy, fuel and transport, and you can seejust energy, fuel and transport, and you can see just how dramatic it has been — energy up 33%, fuel, 58%, used vehicles pushing up inflation as well so with all that in mind, perhaps there is no certainty that is one more affect our lives day to day. do you think the feds decision could have an impact? the day. do you think the fed's decision could have an impact?— could have an impact? the fed decision was _ could have an impact? the fed decision was priced _ could have an impact? the fed decision was priced in, - could have an impact? the fed decision was priced in, it - could have an impact? the fed decision was priced in, it was l could have an impact? the fed l decision was priced in, it was not different from what the orchids were expecting, but i think the answer is it is really sort of unclear what is going to come, and jerome powell made that plain in the press conference of the issue is, this has been really driven by this covid lockdown, clearly we have seen a big increase in inflation, but the fed is still putting stimulus into the economy, and the question is, what is coming? is this burst of

inflation going to disappear? the central bankers really know what matters is what happens 18 months from now or so. a hurricane comes, everything is disruptive for a while, things turned back to normal in a few months of the question is, is there another hurricane that hits next year? this is waiting and watching, being very concerned that prices have risen, but the fed is still putting stimulus in there and store it all happens if it actually was to start to raise rates as the bank of england is. this to raise rates as the bank of england is— to raise rates as the bank of england is. to raise rates as the bank of enclandis. a ,~ england is. as you say, they are still putting _ england is. as you say, they are still putting the _ england is. as you say, they are still putting the stimulus - england is. as you say, they are still putting the stimulus in. - england is. as you say, they are l still putting the stimulus in. they flooded the us economy with cheap money to stop the recession becoming a depression. but they are tapering it down to march. it was going to be tapered tojune, so they're doing and twice as quick. can you tell us in lehmans terms what the

significant is?— in lehmans terms what the siunificant is? , ,, _, significant is? the shock coming in, the shock that _ significant is? the shock coming in, the shock that is _ significant is? the shock coming in, the shock that is at _ significant is? the shock coming in, the shock that is at the _ significant is? the shock coming in, the shock that is at the economy, i significant is? the shock coming in, j the shock that is at the economy, is a big one, and the problem is that interest rates are basically at zero, and central banks around the world worry about them. that is not enough stimulus, so the central bank is in their... i voted for quantitative easing, and the idea is that it puts more money into the economy, makes mortgages cheaper and other things cheaper and allows people to take risks. but with the bottlenecks we saw from lockdown, people actually spend a lot of their money on goods, they are not spinning on services, they are not going on cruises, they're not going to nightclubs. what they're doing is buying things disproportionately. they buying more food, gems for the houses and the supply chain is just not big enough to deal with that, and so that is what is going on, but the big issue is banks don't know

the big issue is banks don't know the answer, is this temporary? will this fade away later in the year? the fed suggest inflation will be about 2.2% in about a year's time and that is pretty much what the bank of england things, but in a sense they are guessing because they'd never seen anything like this, an obvious that people are hurting. this, an obvious that people are hurtinu. . �* this, an obvious that people are hurtin. _ ., �* ., ., “ this, an obvious that people are hurtinu. ., �* ., hurting. that i'm looking at the november _ hurting. that i'm looking at the november production - hurting. that i'm looking at the november production prices . hurting. that i'm looking at the november production prices in | november production prices in america, theyjumped nearly from last year. the biggestjump we have ever seen on record. that is the cost of production. why would you look at those figures and think, oh, yeah, the cost for the consumers going to come down? the yeah, the cost for the consumers going to come down? the problem is this, if ou going to come down? the problem is this, if you start _ going to come down? the problem is this, if you start this _ going to come down? the problem is this, if you start this year, if - this, if you start this year, if numbers are 9% higher, supposing they remained there, inflation is zero, prices have risen, the question is, are they going to rise

tjy question is, are they going to rise by that next year? there is a possibility that prices will fall. this morning, retail states in the united states are to fall also best prices rise, people can respond. either respond by not buying the expensive good were simply not buying. with price increases, down the road, prices. —— prices fall. i hope you understand thatjust because prices are higher in the first year, and they remain high, that means inflation is zero. i understand, and, yes, you've made that clear. 0ne understand, and, yes, you've made that clear. one last thing. it strikes me that central bank circled after be very careful, because we are in the midsummer third wave, things are more expensive, which means people are borrowing more, which means it costs more to borrow because if they put interest rates up

because if they put interest rates up next year, we are all going to be paying more for the mortgages and the credit card balances then we have. do they need to just be a bit careful about putting interest rates up careful about putting interest rates up now, when we don't know where this third wave is going? rgreat this third wave is going? great question- _ this third wave is going? great question. yes, _ this third wave is going? great question. yes, absolutely. - this third wave is going? great j question. yes, absolutely. the reason they are very worried about it, ithink reason they are very worried about it, i thinkjay powell that to say, we without knowing the course of the virus. with delta last spring, that emerged and caused the economy problems, so with the emergence of this new virus, the problem is activity starts to slow. if the central bank raises rates because it is worry about inflation, but it will do is create unemployment, making it harderfor will do is create unemployment, making it harder for people, will do is create unemployment, making it harderfor people, so it has to balance what it does now because people are hurting from inflation, but they hurt even more if there is large amount of unemployment, so this is the balance they're having to do. the right thing to do is wait and watch, look

at the data and see what comes, but if the economy starts to slow, and i data saying if the look on london, on the london tube just this week, writing on the tube in london is down 20% compared to last week. if thatis down 20% compared to last week. if that is two and activity is slowing, the bank should bank should do is raise rates, but it is going to sit on hold, the bank of england will sit on hold and wait and see what comes, but the last thing you want to do is generate another recession. wait and watch, yes! that is what we are all doing. isn't it? david, lovely to talk to you. after a three—day adjournment in the ghilaine maxwell trial, jurors will return to the courthouse in lower manhattan tomorrow to hear the defence put their side of the case. dozens of witnesses will be called as her teams tries to prevent the 59—year—old from spending the rest of her life behind bars. the defence's job is to counter the narrative presented by the prosecution that, behind closed doors, the heiress was a "dangerous predator" who "served up" young girls to to satisfy the sexual perversions

of the paedophilejeffrey epstein. these pictures we are showing you are the exhibits that were put before the court, which the prosecution says demonstrates the strength of that relationship. let's speak to the former new york prosecutor sarah krissoff. lovely to see you, sarah. defence starts tomorrow. do hearing about the way they're going to tackle these allegations?— the way they're going to tackle these allegations? they have stated that they have _ these allegations? they have stated that they have a _ these allegations? they have stated that they have a list _ these allegations? they have stated that they have a list of _ these allegations? they have stated that they have a list of 35 _ that they have a list of 35 witnesses that they may call. frankly i expect that the list will be much smaller, although they have identified these witnesses, not publicly, but to the court. i think ultimately they will call the much smaller subset of that group. yeah, i smaller subset of that group. yeah, i wondered — smaller subset of that group. yeah, i wondered about _ smaller subset of that group. yeah, i wondered about that. _ smaller subset of that group. yeah, i wondered about that. there - smaller subset of that group. yeah, i wondered about that. there is - smaller subset of that group. yeah, i wondered about that. there is a i i wondered about that. there is a risk you bore the jury to death, but otherwise you could flood the zone so the jury did not member what came of the prosecution before. absolutely full so

—— that's a real risk here. i would highly doubt they will call those 35 witnesses. i think they were being all—inclusive with that list, everybody they might possibly call. this pictures piercing of her, she was a much starker character than. they have debated within the defence whether to put them on the stand, but they have come to the conclusion that, right now, she is too fragile, so it is unlikely we will hear from her. does it surprise you they have taken that decision?— her. does it surprise you they have taken that decision? absolutely not. ultimatel , taken that decision? absolutely not. ultimately. it _ taken that decision? absolutely not. ultimately. it is _ taken that decision? absolutely not. ultimately, it is her _ taken that decision? absolutely not. ultimately, it is her decision, - taken that decision? absolutely not. ultimately, it is her decision, and i ultimately, it is her decision, and that decision may change up until the moment she has to decide one way or the other. thejudge the moment she has to decide one way or the other. the judge will allocution her, ask her questions about her decision, whether or not to testify, make sure that decision is made of her own will, rudderless of any advice of counsel ash map

regardless of the. but i'm not surprised, i don't expect her to testify, but certainly strange things happened. i5 testify, but certainly strange things happened. is a testify, but certainly strange things happened.— testify, but certainly strange things happened. testify, but certainly strange thins haened. , ., ., things happened. is a signal to you that perhaps _ things happened. is a signal to you that perhaps the _ things happened. is a signal to you that perhaps the defence _ things happened. is a signal to you that perhaps the defence as - things happened. is a signal to you that perhaps the defence as per. things happened. is a signal to you | that perhaps the defence as per the confident, does it reflect the view in some quarters that the government's case is weak, and they are thinking, we can tackle this just by putting witnesses on the stand? . ., , , , stand? the defence has been very aggressive- _ stand? the defence has been very aggressive- they _ stand? the defence has been very aggressive. they were _ stand? the defence has been very aggressive. they were aggressive | stand? the defence has been very i aggressive. they were aggressive in their opening statement, aggressive with the cross—examination of the government's witnesses, particular the victims, that is a calculated risk, taking a concluded respect doing that, because they certainly can alienate the jury by coming out so hard against those victims, so it really, i certainly expect they will continue that aggressive stance in the defence case, but they may think

they've scored enough points in their cross—examination and their presentation so far that they do not need to put miss natural on the stand. . ., .,, need to put miss natural on the stand. . ., g; ,, , stand. among those 35 witnesses that the listed, stand. among those 35 witnesses that they listed, there _ stand. among those 35 witnesses that they listed, there is _ stand. among those 35 witnesses that they listed, there is a _ stand. among those 35 witnesses that they listed, there is a false _ stand. among those 35 witnesses that they listed, there is a false memory i they listed, there is a false memory expert, who testified in the ajay simpson __ oj —— oj simpson trial, presumably to take on the idea that these anonymous witnesses we've heard from so far, that this is so long ago, it is 20 years ago, you cannot possibly rumour all the detail there was —— remember all. rumour all the detail there was —— rememberall. is rumour all the detail there was —— remember all. is that how it is going to work?— remember all. is that how it is going to work? absolutely. there was actuall an going to work? absolutely. there was actually an extensive _ going to work? absolutely. there was actually an extensive motion - actually an extensive motion practice about that expert, victor the defence intended to call that expert for a whole host of opinions on the issue of memory, the government did manage to narrow the testimony that that expert is expected to provide and really i

think that expert will now just expected to provide and really i think that expert will nowjust be responding to some of the points the government's memory expert put into play, but i do think that the defence case is... that witness is an important part of the defence case. , ., ., , ., case. right, it is going to be an interesting _ case. right, it is going to be an interesting few days. _ case. right, it is going to be an interesting few days. we - case. right, it is going to be an interesting few days. we will i case. right, it is going to be an i interesting few days. we will come back to you as it unfolds. sarah krissoff, thank you very much indeed. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: the north atlantic whale that's travelled thousands of miles tangled in a fishing net and still managed to give birth. we'll explain, next. a woman who murdered a toddler in bradford has been given a life sentence. the little girl's mother has also been sentenced to eight years. a warning, this report by danny savage contains distressing images.

star hobson was murdered when she was just 16 months old. today, the two people who should have loved and cared for her but instead were responsible for her death were sentenced for their crimes. this is star with savannah brockhill, the woman who would later kill her. she was an amateur boxer with a violent temper, which she often took out on the toddler. she was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison. thejudge said she had shown no remorse. sta r�*s star's mother, sta r�*s mother, frankie star's mother, frankie smith, was jailed for eight years for allowing her daughter's death. thejudge said she had played a significant role, something she will have to live with for the rest of her life. star was subject to endless physical assaults and psychological harm. instead of the love and protection, she experienced a world

of cruelty and pain. star was known to police and social services. today, a family member gave us a video of star with bruises. you may find this upsetting. taken days before she died, it shows injuries to her nose, cheek and ear and led to her great grandfather contacting social services. they could have took her to the hospital, could have got her checked out, and maybe all these injuries, what she had, would have come alight. i just feel let down by them. parliament was today told the murder of this child should be accompanied by sadness and bewilderment that it was allowed to happen. the government has bradford city council in its sights over what went wrong. in afghanistan, 1 million children under the age of five are at risk of starvation this winter, according to the world

health organization. charities have warned that the humanitarian crisis facing the country after 20 years of war means a further 2.2 million people will suffer acute malnutrition. 0ur afghanistan correspondent secunder kermani reports from the western province of ghor. a nation struggling to survive. a hospital struggling to cope. the war is over in afghanistan, but hunger is the new threat. these mothers desperately waiting for nutrition packs for their malnourished babies. "it like this every day," he says. "it's been like this for four or five months." translation: we have | nothing, we have no food, my children are sick, we don't have money for medicine. a million children are at risk of starvation. with internationalfunding cut off following the taliban takeover, afghanistan's aid—dependent economy is collapsing.

life for many here has always been hard, but with food prices and unemployment rising, more families than ever recorded are going hungry. translation: right now, - there are two patients in a bed. sometimes there are even three. when this child first arrived, the family did not have a single penny to buy medicine. the doctors and staff collected money for medicine to help them. we have come to the remote province of ghor. it's a ten—hour drive to the nearest big city. the snow here picturesque, but there's less than usual. drought is adding to the crisis. we're visiting the province's only hospital. staff are being paid for the first time in five months after the international committee of the red cross stepped in. but most patients have to buy their own medicines as supplies are so low.

we don't have anything now. no medicines? no medicines. how difficult is it for you as the doctor? we are suffering, sometimes crying. if you want to get an idea of how dysfunctional things he can be, this is a child malnutrition ward. temperatures here can drop to minus ten degrees celsius at night, even lower at times. they've only got enough wood in this heater to last a couple of hours. translation: my message i to the international community is this is the worst situation we have ever faced. please deliver humanitarian aid to our people, negotiate with the islamic emirate and release their frozen funds. it's notjust hunger they're battling here. with the onset of winter, cases of severe pneumonia are on the rise. "we don't have fuel,

we don't have shawls or warm clothes," she says. "we don't have a real life." born into an uncertain world. even when billions of dollars of international support were coming in, hospitals here were badly under resourced. now staff are doing what they can, but they say they need help. secunder kermani, bbc news, ghor province. such brutal enters in afghanistan. some tough months coming up for the people there —— brutal winters. now, we are going to talk about snow cone. she is an endangered north atlantic right whale. she's also entangled in a fishing rope and has been for most of this year. but against the odds, she has managed to successfully give birth. snow cone was first spotted with her calf earlier this month. 0cean experts say the chances of removing the ropes attached to her while her calf is young are slim. and she's had quite

the journey so far. she was first seen entangled in fishing gear off plymouth harbour, massachusetts in march. later in may, she was spotted 65 kilometres east of shippigan in new brunswick, canada. and more recently, in early december, snow cone has been sighted off the coast of georgia by plymouth harbor. let's speak to dr charles "stormy" mayo, founder and director of the right whale ecology program at the center for coastal studies. lovely to have you on the programme. what is a right whale? aha, lovely to have you on the programme. what is a right whale?— what is a right whale? a right whale is the most outstanding _ what is a right whale? a right whale is the most outstanding trait, - what is a right whale? a right whale is the most outstanding trait, run i is the most outstanding trait, run of the rarest large mammals on earth. —— one of the. we know they are on the break of extinction, maybe something around 330 animals remaining, so the calves of these animals are the future. and that's largely why the situation with snow cone is so compelling. wright was a

very —— right wales are very large creatures and they are very all looking creatures. i think your listeners can probably take a look on the internet and you will see a creature that is pretty unusual to look at. ~ .., , . look at. we can see the taft in the icture look at. we can see the taft in the picture and you — look at. we can see the taft in the picture and you can _ look at. we can see the taft in the picture and you can see _ look at. we can see the taft in the picture and you can see the - look at. we can see the taft in the picture and you can see the whitel picture and you can see the white cords coming up to the left, which i presume is part of this fishing net. what impact will that have on the quality of life?— quality of life? there are unfortunately, _ quality of life? there are unfortunately, or- quality of life? there are unfortunately, or maybe | quality of life? there are _ unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, two now involved. we are happy that snow cone has had a calf and the but it is very hard, a first ever seen situation when a mother is entangled in fishing gear and potentially lethally entangled, and yet she gives birth to a calve, so now what we have to worry about his two wales

that might be entangled. the mother, we know, is and we hope the calf does not get tangled up —— two animals. does not get tangled up -- two animals. , . , , does not get tangled up -- two animals. , ., , , ., ., , animals. presumably, now that she has a calf, — animals. presumably, now that she has a calf, that _ animals. presumably, now that she has a calf, that adds _ animals. presumably, now that she has a calf, that adds stress - animals. presumably, now that she has a calf, that adds stress to - animals. presumably, now that she has a calf, that adds stress to the l has a calf, that adds stress to the situation for her? it has a calf, that adds stress to the situation for her?— situation for her? it does in two wa s. situation for her? it does in two ways- first. _ situation for her? it does in two ways. first, she _ situation for her? it does in two ways. first, she still— situation for her? it does in two ways. first, she still has - ways. first, she still has entanglement, which by some accounts is already deeply embedded into her flesh on her upperjaw, and those from past experience in our work don't turn out well. and additionally, she now has the burden of giving up huge amounts of her energy naturally through nursing, and so she has all of that plus, if everything goes well, she will migrate north along the east coast of north america, up into our area of north america, up into our area

of cape cod in massachusetts. she is travellin: of cape cod in massachusetts. she is travelling such _ of cape cod in massachusetts. she is travelling such huge _ of cape cod in massachusetts. she is travelling such huge distances, - travelling such huge distances, which is extraordinary. she clearly has enormous —— stamina. how you keep track of her? what programme is in place grazila there's a network of groups like ours. igrate grazila there's a network of groups like ours. ~ , , ., ., . ., like ours. we fly in small aircraft over great _ like ours. we fly in small aircraft over great distances _ like ours. we fly in small aircraft over great distances of - like ours. we fly in small aircraft over great distances of water - like ours. we fly in small aircraft| over great distances of water and take photos of individual animals. eachis take photos of individual animals. each is individually in a —— identifiable. we know who which is which and the best way to keep track of her and her calf is through individual sightings, track of her and her calf is through individualsightings, observation track of her and her calf is through individual sightings, observation of the animals. she is not tagged, does not have electronics on her, so we will hope that we get reports along the east coast, up into our area,

which we hope is where she will bring her calf. ijust briefly, she travelling alone? there is no pod near her? as best we can tell, on these migrations, they don't have organise pods, they travel often alone or in very loose groups that break up and form, so she will likely be alone with her calf. idr form, so she will likely be alone with her calf.— form, so she will likely be alone with her calf. dr charles "stormy" ma 0, with her calf. dr charles "stormy" mayo. thank _ with her calf. dr charles "stormy" mayo. thank you _ with her calf. dr charles "stormy" mayo, thank you for _ with her calf. dr charles "stormy" mayo, thank you for telling - with her calf. dr charles "stormy" mayo, thank you for telling us - with her calf. dr charles "stormy" i mayo, thank you for telling us about snow cone. we will keep track of that and hope they can disentangle her from that net. thank you very much for watching. hello there. this period looks largely dry thanks to a really strong area of high pressure which will keep all weather fronts at bay.

but there could be quite a lot of cloud around with this area of high pressure. it's going to continue to be quite gloomy for some with some mist and murk around. where skies clear overnight, then we could see some dense patches of mist and fog, but it will be mostly dry. now, in the short term, we've had these weather fronts across the north of the uk. they'll continue to drift northwards as we head into thursday as our area of high pressure starts to push in across the uk. and there's some fairly mild air wrapped into this area of high pressure. the colder air looms on either side of it. it looks like it'll stay mild at least into the start of the weekend, before we tap into something a bit cooler from the north—east. thursday, then, is mainly dry, a lot of cloud around. central and southern areas could be quite gloomy. that weather front will be confined to the northern isles. there could be a bit of sunshine in north—east scotland, perhaps eastern england, the odd glimmer elsewhere. and it's going to be mild, ten to twelve celsius. as we move through thursday night, many places will be dry. we lose that weather front from the northern isles. still quite breezy here,

but light winds elsewhere. skies will clear for much of eastern scotland, north—east england, so temperatures dipping into low single digits here. we could see mist and fog developing under those clear skies. for most, though, no lower than seven to nine degrees with the cloud blanket. high pressure sits right on top of us, then, for friday. we end the week on a dry note. we've lost that weather front across the north of the uk. light winds away from the far south and west, where it could be quite breezy. a lot of cloud around. it could be quite gloomy for some. probably the best of the sunshine across the north of the uk, maybe the odd glimmer across wales and the south—west of england. those temperatures again around the seasonal average or maybe just a little above. into the start of the weekend, our area of high pressure is still with us. light winds. it could be quite gloomy, though, across england and wales, northern ireland, perhaps the best of the sunshine across scotland and the far north—east of england. we could see double figures again across the south and the west, otherwise it's single digits further north and east, particularly where skies have been clear overnight. as we move out of saturday into sunday, it could be that our area of high pressure begins to drift a bit further northwards and westwards,

and what that'll do is slowly start to open the floodgates to something cooler running down from the north sea, which could push across our shores beyond sunday. sunday is looking like being another rather cloudy day for most, mainly dry, light winds, glimmers of brightness here and there, probably the best temperatures again belfast, plymouth, given any bright spells. for most, single digits. a bit cooler across north sea coasts. into next week, for monday, we could start to tap into some of that colder air i showed you drifting southwards across the north sea, so i think many of us could be in single digits through monday and it could feel quite cool across some north sea coasts with that onshore breeze. so, beyond that point, for much of next week, the run—up to christmas, it looks like we could continue to see some of this cold air pushing in across the uk, perhaps even the chance of some showers, which could be wintry on the hills. and then it could be that low pressure starts to try and push in from the south—west towards the latter part of the week, but there's some uncertainty to this.

at the moment, it looks like cold air wins out and then we could become a battleground of something milder in the south, again colder in the north. it looks like it'll stay largely dry in the run—up to christmas, quite a lot of cloud, a little sunshine, too. there could even be some showers, some of which could have a wintry flavour to them, so stay tuned.

tonight at ten: the uk records more covid infections in a single day than at any time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. the fear is the nhs could be overwhelmed, as the new 0micron variant spreads at a "phenomenal pace". so, a warning over christmas get—togethers from england's chief medical officer — avoid unnecessary gatherings... i really think people should be prioritising those things and only those things that really matter to them. record numbers of people get their booster jabs, but the new variant is doubling infections every two days. it's probably the most significant threat we have had since the start of the pandemic, and i'm sure, for example, the numbers that we see on data over the next few days will be quite staggering.