turn cooler over the weekend. welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. as governments around the globe brace for the omicron effect, britain sets a record for new covid infections for the second day in a row. in the united states president biden warns the public to protect themselves against the new variant or face the consequences. it's here now and it's spreading and is going to increase. for unvaccinated we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death for unvaccinated. also in the programme — a gang in haiti — releases 12 hostages working

for an american missionary group — more than two months after they were kidnapped. and comedianjohn cleese talks to newsday — as he starts a new tour of south east asia. he shares his views on cancel culture — in a forthright interview with me one of the great problems these days is everyone wants to be right and nobody really wants to listen to other peoples opinion. it's seven in the morning in singapore, and ”pm in the uk where the uk has announced record covid infection figures for the second day in a row — as the world health organisation says the new strain — omicron — is spreading at an unprecedented rate.

more than 75 countries have omicron cases. a top uk health official says the variant is probably the most significant threat we've had since the start of the pandemic. meanwhile in the last hour presidentjoe biden has said that the omicron variant has now arrived in the united states. our medical editor fergus walsh starts our coverage. what do you want for christmas? for millions it is a booster. these people in newcastle today were prepared to wait for hours for a covid vaccination bus. it was a record day for booster jabs, but also covid cases. boosters offer the best protection against omicron, but there is huge uncertainty whether they will blunt it enough to keep hospital admissions below last january's peak. even if it is milder, because it is concentrated over a short period of time, you could end up with a higher number going into hospital on a single day.

that is certainly possible. the numbers of confirmed omicron patients in hospital are still low for now. it will be weeks before we have hard evidence that will show how serious the omicron wave will be. we need about 250 individuals in hospital before we can make an assessment compared to delta. and also a vaccine effectiveness assessment. the earliest we will have reliable data is the week between christmas and new year and probably early january. — pregnant women have finally been made a priority group for vaccination after more evidence showing they are at high risk from covid. between may and october during the first six months of the delta variant more than 1,400 pregnant women were admitted to hospital in the uk with covid. 96% of them were unvaccinated. 17 of those pregnant women died.

four babies died in the first month of life from covid. it also increases the risk of having a premature birth. valerie is 32 weeks pregnant and had her booster in oxfordshire on monday, but it meant a long queue. i had to wait for one and a half hours in a queue, which is painful because i have pelvic pain which makes it hard to stand or to walk. in addition, i was very nervous, as was everyone there in the queue. everyone is nervous because they thought the boosters might run out because it was a walk—in clinic. the prime minister was again banging the booster drum at a vaccination centre in kent. he urged the public to be careful when mixing with others this christmas. we do not want to make your choices for you about your social life, we are not closing things, but what we are saying is people

should be cautious and they should think about their activities get boosted now and exercise caution, — get boosted now and exercise caution, that's what we are saying. and the queen is leading by example, cancelling a pre—christmas lunch for extended family due to take place at windsor castle. fergus walsh, bbc news. presidentjoe biden warned thursday that the omicron variant of the coronavirus will "start to spread much more rapidly" in the united states and urged americans to get vaccinated or boosted. due to the steps we've taken omicron has not yet spread as fast as it would have otherwise done. and it's happening in europe. but it's here now and it's spreading and it can increase. for unvaccinated we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death, unvaccinated. themselves, theirfamilies

and the hospitals they will soon overwhelm. but there is good news, if you're vaccinated, you have your booster shot you are protected from severe illness and death was up number two, booster shots were. ——work three, boosters are free, safe and convenient. about 60 million people had won, had the boosters. so go get your shot today. you'll get boosted if you've had your first two shots, if you haven't you will get your first shot. police in haiti say, the remaining 12 missionaries held by an armed gang since october have been released. five others — from the us and canada — were released previously. they were abducted two months ago after they visited an orphanage in an area east of the capital port—au—prince which is run by a powerful criminal gang. i'm joined now byjacqueline charles, caribbean correspondent at the miami herald who has been following the story.

great following the story. to have you of the program. the great to have you of the program. the first instance, can you talk us through what you might know about the behind this release? it’s through what you might know about the behind this release?— the behind this release? it's still very unclean _ the behind this release? it's still very unclear. just _ the behind this release? it's still very unclear. just for _ the behind this release? it's still very unclear. just for my - the behind this release? it's still very unclear. just for my ripart i the behind this release? it's still| very unclear. just for my ripart it would not reporting what we've learned is that the 12 individuals were basically dropped off by the gang at the summit at the edge of this territory that they control. and that's when word started to spread that they had been released. there is a note circulating that claims they walked out in the middle of the night because they were unguarded. i have found nothing so far to the back that up. and everything that we are hearing in the case that the gang did release them. we do not know if the ransom was paid. that usually something thatis was paid. that usually something that is kept quiet and often the gangs basically mourn their hostages not to say whether or not they paid

a ransom. ~ ., ., ~ ., ., a ransom. what do we know about the eo - le, a ransom. what do we know about the peeple. the — a ransom. what do we know about the peeple. the gang _ a ransom. what do we know about the peeple. the gang and _ a ransom. what do we know about the people, the gang and mansion, - a ransom. what do we know about the people, the gang and mansion, but. a ransom. what do we know about the | people, the gang and mansion, but we know about the gang that had affected them?— know about the gang that had affected them? this gang, they control the _ affected them? this gang, they control the largest _ affected them? this gang, they control the largest territory - affected them? this gang, they control the largest territory in l affected them? this gang, they l control the largest territory in the capital. it's in the area that leads all the way up to the border of the dominican republic in haiti as well is the road that leads into the central plateau of the country. their ammo has always been collective kidnappings, meaning they will kidnap in entire bus, an entire carload of individuals. they will ransom it off. up until this particular kidnapping what we saw is they were asking $20,000, particular kidnapping what we saw is they were asking$20,000, 10,000, they were asking $20,000, 10,000, they were asking $20,000, 10,000, they would ask for an amount to basically keep them under the radar as opposed to asking for $200,000 per person. what we saw with these

americans is that they were asking for $1 million per person, for 17 individuals.— for $1 million per person, for 17 individuals. ., ~ . ., individuals. thank you so much for “oininu us individuals. thank you so much for joining us on _ individuals. thank you so much for joining us on tuesday _ individuals. thank you so much for joining us on tuesday to _ individuals. thank you so much for joining us on tuesday to give - individuals. thank you so much for joining us on tuesday to give a setj joining us on tuesday to give a set update. still to come a bit later in the programme — super typhoon rai and its impact on the philippines. but first... hong kongers will head to the polls on sunday in the first legislative council elections since the passing of a controversial electoral reform law. the new law allows a pro—china panel to vet candidates and allow only those it deems �*patriotic�* to participate. from hong kong the bbc�*s danny vincent has this report. jason is in full campaign mode. considers itself not establishment.

last year the authorities postpone the election due to the pandemic. since then the political landscape of the city has changed. if i can enter with the legislator at least i can ask for a political changes. and political improvement. if we just ignore it then government can full house so legislator. what is the result? the result is till the end of days we don't have any improvement on our democracy. hong kong is preparing for its first legislative council election since the introduction of a wide ranging national security law. this year only three of the 153 candidates running consider themselves pro—democratic. pollsters are predicting a 30 year low voter turnout. beijing has imposed ace check a sweeping reform of hong kong's electoral system. it means that only candidates being patriotic are eligible to stand.

it's left many to question if this election is simply a show. last year the entire peru democracy camp resigned en masse. following disqualification of a member. it was later followed by her arrest of 47 pro—democracy candidates who stood in an unofficial primary election for the year on they remain in custody under the suspicion of violating the controversial national security law. critics say hong kong's political freedoms have been dismantled. pro—establishment candidates say the changes in hong kong has helped to restore stability. you look at the past in the last call, we cannot do anything. we have the filibustering and people asking questions, doubting the government and doubting the central government. it is the whole purpose this is what they want to show to the world. he was once a democratic party lawmaker, this year the largest opposition party in hong kong is not putting forward any candidates to run.

he is now independent. he says he wants to become elected in order to bring about change to the system. we didn't get real democracy in the past and also maybe the next ten years. but we are hopeful, were hopeful for universal suffrage. we hope for a real democracy in hong kong. but if we don't do anything, we get nothing. hong kong was promised a high level of autonomy and political freedom 50 years after it was returned to china from the uk. 2022 marks just 25 years since the handover. critics claim beijing is moving towards full control of the city. in the uk — polls closed just over an hour ago in the north shropshire by—election — in what's being seen as another

big test of prime minister boris johnson's leadership. voters are electing a new mp following the resignation of owen paterson, who resigned in the wake of a huge row over his conduct, after he was found to have broken lobbying rules. the conservatives have held this seat for almost 200 years, but any defeat is likely to intensify questions over borisjohnson's leadership. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme... a huge rescue effort in the philippines as a super typhoon — batters its southern coastline. saddam hussein is finished because he killed our people, our women, our children. the signatures took only a few minutes but they brought a formal end to three and a half

years of conflict. conflict that is claimed more than 200,000 lives. before an audience of world leaders the presidents of bosnia and serbia and croatia put their names to peace agreement. the romanian border was sealedl and silent today, romania has cut itself off from the outside world in order to prevent the details. of the presumed massacre - in timisoara from leaking out. from sex at the white house to a trial for his political life, the lewinsky affair tonight guaranteed bill clinton his place in history as only the second president ever to be impeached. this is newsday on the bbc. i'm karishma vaswani. in singapore, our headlines... as governments around the globe brace for the omicron effect, britain sets a record for new covid

infections for the second day in a row. president biden warns the american public to protect themselves against the omicron variant or face the consequences. now, in the philppines, a storm known as super typhoon rai has made landfall, bringing with it heavy rains and winds exceeding 100 miles per hour. thousands have been evacuated from their homes, and schools in the storm's expected path have been closed. the bbc�*s philippines correspondent howard johnson reports. power and communication lines remain down on siargao island, a tropical idyll popular with backpackers and surfers. normally abuzz with updates from social media influencers, the area has fallen eerily quiet. it is hoped the philippine air force will land on siargao island tomorrow to assess the extent of the damage. philippines�* state meteorologists say typhoon rai is now moving towards two other islands,

bringing with it winds of up to 165 kilometres per hour and inundating the central philippines with heavy rain. videos posted on social media show the philippine coast guard helping to move families from flooded coastal and riverside communities. thousands of people had evacuated their homes before the typhoon hit, but the united nations has warned that more than 13 million people live in areas likely to be affected by the storm. the international federation of the red cross has described typhoon rai as "a monster storm" and said that climate change was making typhoons more ferocious and unpredictable. howard johnson, bbc news, manila. let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. lawyers for ghislane maxwell started her defence on thursday. she's accused of grooming underage girls for abuse by the billionairejeffrey epstein. it's thought they will call dozens of witnesses although it's not yet clear if the 59—year—old will take

the stand herself. ms maxwell denies all the charges and has pleaded not guilty. with covid cases increasing in britain, the english premier league has been forced to put a number of games on hold. there's been outbreaks at clubs and calls in some quarters for the league to take a break completely. a covid outbreak at spanish football team real madrid has also grown. the club says another four players have tested positive, including marco asensio. baltic and central european leaders have told an eu summit that the bloc is under assault from russia on �*multiple fronts'. the latvian prime minister identified russian disinformation, energy prices and russia's deployment of troops close to its border with ukraine. the kremlin denies it's planning to invade ukraine. comedians, from dave chappelle in the us tojohn cleese in the uk, have spoken out about cancel culture — the practice of cancelling, or publicly expressing disapproval or putting social pressure

on people. in an interview with the bbc, mr cleese addressed this topic. he's in asia for a new comedy tour in the region. he spoke to me earlier. wonderful to have you on the programme, john. i want to start by asking you, i know that you're particularly interested in talking about cancel culture, i pick it's fair to say. i understand in fact you're making a documentary about it. what is it about cancelled culture that interests you? well, it's are relatively _ culture that interests you? well, it's are relatively new _ culture that interests you? -ii it's are relatively new phenomenon. it affects comedians because a lot of us do jokes that the cancel culture people, the boca people don't think you're right or don't think are correct. so it been asked to do the program. so i've been exploring it and reading quite a lot of books and trying to understand what it's all about. but quite a complex matter and it seems to be boiling down to the fact that some

people are rather overprotective. i mean, we all want parents to be protective but we don't want them to be overprotective because that raises children who are not perhaps very well, going to adapt to the real world. very well, going to adapt to the realworld. etiquette very well, going to adapt to the real world. etiquette very important that things should go wrong and that minor bad thing should happen. because that helps people to learn and become a little bit tougher when they go out into the world, which is not a terribly friendly place. if we overprotective him then i think that doesn't work very well.— overprotective him then i think that doesn't work very well. some would sa that doesn't work very well. some would say that what _ doesn't work very well. some would say that what you're _ doesn't work very well. some would say that what you're suggesting - doesn't work very well. some would say that what you're suggesting is i say that what you're suggesting is that... ~ , ., i. say that what you're suggesting is that... ~ , ., , it say that what you're suggesting is| that. . .— n was that... why do you say but? it was 'ust that... why do you say but? it was just a turn — that. .. why do you say but? it was just a turn of— that... why do you say but? it was just a turn of phrase. _ that... why do you say but? it was just a turn of phrase. that's - just a turn of phrase. that's precisely — just a turn of phrase. that's precisely what _ just a turn of phrase. that's precisely what i'm - just a turn of phrase. that's precisely what i'm about . just a turn of phrase. that's precisely what i'm about to | just a turn of phrase. that's i precisely what i'm about to do just a turn of phrase. that's - precisely what i'm about to do if you would give me the opportunity to do that. i you would give me the opportunity to do that. ., ., ., ,~' you would give me the opportunity to

do that. ., ., ., do that. i want to ask you. there are people _ do that. i want to ask you. there are people out — do that. i want to ask you. there are people out there _ do that. i want to ask you. there are people out there who - do that. i want to ask you. there are people out there who have . do that. i want to ask you. there i are people out there who have been heard your views would consider them to be old—fashioned. and not taking into consideration the feelings of people who have been hurt by some of these comments. i want to give you these comments. i want to give you the example in britain where it racist behaviour for instance was couched as a bit of banter. is that acceptable in your view as a joke? i think it's a very poor question. i�*c think it's a very poor question. i'd like you to answer it. well, - think it's a very poor question. i'd like you to answer it. well, it's i like you to answer it. well, it's hard because _ like you to answer it. well, it's hard because it's _ like you to answer it. well, it's hard because it's so _ like you to answer it. well, it's hard because it's so scattered | like you to answer it. well, it's i hard because it's so scattered and so many different ideas i don't know which place to start with to answer it. what i said is, the important thing is that people are protected to the right degree, not overprotective do not under protected. so the question becomes, what is the right degree? the practitioners of cognitive

behavioural therapy, which is a very successful therapy which is used a lot to treat depression and anxiety in young people say that the woke ideas are pretty much the opposite of what they used to make people less depressed and anxious. now, that doesn't matter whether that's new fashion or old fashion or from the early 12th century, that is a very interesting idea and it needs to be explored without using these emotional terms like people being hurt and all this kind of things. let's try to be a little bit more calm about it and use less emotionally loaded words. are you saying that... i think you are going to ask me about being here in singapore to do shows, i'm in bangkok or is not in the back of your agenda? indie bangkok or is not in the back of your agenda?— bangkok or is not in the back of your agenda? we certainly did ask ou about your agenda? we certainly did ask you about that. _ your agenda? we certainly did ask you about that. why _ your agenda? we certainly did ask you about that. why have - your agenda? we certainly did ask you about that. why have you - your agenda? we certainly did ask. you about that. why have you chosen asia as a place to do these comedy

shows, particularly when were in the middle of a pandemic?— middle of a pandemic? well, it's ve hard middle of a pandemic? well, it's very hard to _ middle of a pandemic? well, it's very hard to plan _ middle of a pandemic? well, it's very hard to plan at _ middle of a pandemic? well, it's very hard to plan at the - middle of a pandemic? well, it's very hard to plan at the moment| middle of a pandemic? well, it's i very hard to plan at the moment as you might�*ve noticed. you probably realise that sometimes a new variant comes along on very short notice and causes a great deal of disturbance very quickly. so these shows were arranged some time ago when there was a good chance that the delta variant was coming under control. then the omicron came up about three weeks ago and changed it all. but rj's two plants have been set way before that. rj's two plants have been set way before that-— rj's two plants have been set way before that. , ., ., ,, , , rj's two plants have been set way before that. , ., .,~ , , ., before that. does that make sense to ou? yes, before that. does that make sense to you? yes. indeed _ before that. does that make sense to you? yes, indeed it _ before that. does that make sense to you? yes, indeed it does. _ before that. does that make sense to you? yes, indeed it does. have - before that. does that make sense to you? yes, indeed it does. have you l you? yes, indeed it does. have you had to change your routine at all because of the pandemic or make adjustments to it? ida. because of the pandemic or make adjustments to it?— adjustments to it? no, i haven't started to _ adjustments to it? no, i haven't started to write _ adjustments to it? no, i haven't started to write it _ adjustments to it? no, i haven't started to write it yet _ adjustments to it? no, i haven't started to write it yet because . adjustments to it? no, i haven't started to write it yet because i | started to write it yet because i don't do it for three weeks. and i have a great deal of material, some accumulated over the past 15 years,

the first time i started doing this kind of show was 2006. so i'm going to choose the material which i think is right. i've been asked to base it on it talks i had which is about why there is no hope. the central point of which is the fact that one of the great problems these days is that everyone wants to be right and nobody really wants to listen to other peoples opinions.- nobody really wants to listen to other peoples opinions. you, in that sense if you — other peoples opinions. you, in that sense if you could _ other peoples opinions. you, in that sense if you could elaborate - other peoples opinions. you, in that sense if you could elaborate a - other peoples opinions. you, in that sense if you could elaborate a bit. sense if you could elaborate a bit more about what that means that you think people not listening to each other, is that your sense of what is happening?— happening? yes, very much so. the historians used _ historians used to say about the english that we had a great ability of compromise and that is why we were quite successful. i don't see much sign of that. i see either side absolutely convinced that they are right without really being interested in trying to look at the

facts that are involved in these kinds, if you look at america now and it's a highly polarised society you realise that people really aren't listening to each other at all because the trump supporters watch fox news and get one version of the news and other people watch other channels and get a different version of the news. they both think the version they are getting is right which is naive. i the version they are getting is right which is naive.— the version they are getting is right which is naive. i want to ask ou right which is naive. i want to ask you about — right which is naive. i want to ask you about your— right which is naive. i want to ask you about your thoughts - right which is naive. i want to ask you about your thoughts on - right which is naive. i want to ask i you about your thoughts on another comedian. i don't know if you know this american comedian dave chapelle who faced a huge backlash for his... where back on cancel culture. i thought we were talking about shows and comedies. but i'm not interested in doing this interview anymore. so i'll leave you now.— i'll leave you now. bye-bye. that was john cleese _ i'll leave you now. bye-bye. that was john cleese speaking - i'll leave you now. bye-bye. that was john cleese speaking to - i'll leave you now. bye-bye. that was john cleese speaking to me. wasjohn cleese speaking to me earlier. you can watch the entire interview again online, and see the story and reaction to his comments on our website or via the bbc news app.

before we go i want to tell you about the story. states across the us are intense when stores will stop storing up mounds of dust causing authorities and at least four states to shut down major highways. the weather has caused havoc across parts of kansas and colorado as winds whip at speeds of up to 100 mph. this comesjust winds whip at speeds of up to 100 mph. this comes just days after a series of tornadoes hit kentucky and several neighbouring states killing nearly 90 people. another story before we go about a rather unusual playback unusual musical album out of australia getting a lot of buzz months there. take a listen. that's right. the album is made up entirely of birds chirping. it's called songs of birds chirping. it's called songs of disappearance and believe it or not the new record is now a top—5 record on the australian charts.

that's it for newsday. thanks so much forjoining us. do stay with me. hello. thursday brought an east—west split to the uk weather—wise. well, certainly in terms of where we had the blue sky or where we had the grey sky. across parts of eastern scotland and down the eastern side of england, some were treated to a largely sunny day from dawn until dusk, where it was the reverse across some western areas. a view from wales, cloudy from dawn until dusk. it's the cloud that's going to win out for friday and the weekend. high pressure, lots of settled weather to come, but trapped underneath this high pressure, plenty of cloud. now, where there will have been some clear spells overnight — parts of eastern scotland, northeast england — a frost to start friday, but also some mist and fog around, and particularly through parts of yorkshire, the east midlands and east anglia. some dense patches in places, perhaps affecting travel, and some may lingerfor much

of the day in a few spots. you get the idea for the forecast, though, for friday with lots of cloud around. the cloud thick enough to produce a bit of drizzle here and there. breezy with it through the channel islands into parts of south west england, south wales. through here, though, there could be a few sunny spells, as there will be towards parts of scotland and again north east england. temperatures on a par with thursday, although just tending to go a little bit lower, and that's a trend that continues through the weekend. friday night into saturday morning, a lot of cloud around, some mist and fog. again, the clearest skies in scotland, so this is where we're most likely to get a frost as the weekend begins, but there could be a few pockets, too, towards north east england. with that area of high pressure i showed you earlier, a lot of settled weather over the weekend. a lot of cloud, it'll be mainly dry and again temperatures just starting to edge down a few degrees over the weekend. and still quite breezy on saturday through the english channel, channel islands, far south west of england. could be a few brighter breaks here as there may be towards the far west of wales,

more particularly into scotland. elsewhere, a good deal of cloud, fewer temperatures in double figures at this stage, it's mid to high single figures. and plenty of cloud around again on sunday, could be drizzly in a few spots, but there's also a chance of seeing one or two brighter breaks here and there. now, for the most part, temperatures in single figures. it will brighten up into next week, but the trend is for things to turn even colder as we go through the rest of the week in the lead—up to christmas. apart from that, what exactly is on our way christmas weather—wise, remains to be seen.

this is bbc news, the headlines... the number of new covid infections across britain has reached a record high for the second day running. more than 88,000 new cases have been confirmed. it follows warnings about the speed of the new strain's spread. all the missionaries kidnapped by an armed gang in haiti in october have been released. they were abducted two months ago after visiting an orphanage in an area run by a powerful criminal gang. the defence in the sex abuse trial of ghislaine maxwell in new york has called its first witness. cimberly espinosa — a former assistant to the british socialite — described her as fair but demanding. those are the headlines here on bbc news.