this is bbc news. i'm rebecca jones. the headlines at 2: health secretary steve barclay signals there'll be no increased pay offer, to stop ambulance crews and nurses going on strike. heat living rooms during the day — and bedrooms before going to sleep — that's the advice from health officials as a cold spell hits the uk. 25 people have been arrested in raids across germany on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. days after returning to the house of commons from the celebrityjungle, matt hancock announces he will step down as an mp at the next general election. the duke and duchess of sussex accept an award for antiracism work ahead of the launch of their netflix show tomorrow. once

in a decade un conference on biodiversity begins today in canada. amid warnings that human beings are driving mass species extinction. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. the health secretary, steve barclay, has signalled the government won't increase its pay offer to nhs staff, to avert strike action in the run up to christmas. yesterday, ambulance workers across most of england and wales, announced they'd walk out on the 21st december, the day after nurses stage a second day of industrial action. here's our political correspondent leila nathoo. an emergency service facing its own crisis.

so say the unions representing ambulance staff across england and wales, who will go on strike in a fortnight over pay. life—saving care will be provided but unions claim the service is in a critical condition. one third of our members in the ambulance service are telling us that they believe delays have led to deaths. it is not industrial action that is posing a threat to the service, it's over a decade of cuts, this has been a long—running developing crisis and the government has simply refused to listen up to now. elsewhere, nurses in england, wales and northern ireland are also planning to walk out this month. they, like others, want pay rises in line with inflation, which has been running at its highest rate in decades.

but the government has been standing firm, saying their demands are unaffordable. if everyone in the public sector was to receive a pay rise in line with inflation, that would cost an extra £28 billion, an extra £1,000 per household. at a time of huge cost—of—living pressures, it is important we get that balance right between what additional tax we ask viewers to pay at a time of cost—of—living pressure alongside recognising that paramedics and the nhs as a whole have faced very real challenges as a result of the pandemic. rail workers are planning further strike action over december and january in a dispute with their employers over pay, terms and conditions. the transport secretary mark harper has insisted his role was not to negotiate but urged unions to keep talking and put any proposed deals to their members. but labour says ministers need to be around the table. we can't go on like this, we have people leaving our front line professions. yes, they need a pay rise, yes, the situation is incredibly difficult, but that is why the government should be in the room, sitting around the table, moving heaven and earth to get this sorted. but in the commons this afternoon, rishi sunak said he was focused on minimising disruption from strikes. if the union leaders

continue to be unreasonable, then it is my duty to take action to protect the lives and livelihoods of the british public, and that is why, since i became prime minister, i have been working for new tough laws to protect people from this disruption. from postal workers to driving test examiners, strikes are spreading across public services. they will be noticed and felt this winter while all sides try to find resolutions. leila nathoo, bbc news, westminster. we can speak to our political correspondent david. the government is talking tough in terms of pay offers and making strike action or difficult, so tell us more about what has been said?— difficult, so tell us more about what has been said? that is right. there is legislation _ what has been said? that is right. there is legislation making - what has been said? that is right. there is legislation making its - what has been said? that is right. | there is legislation making its way through parliament and it is perhaps been stalled a bit. the aim of it is to make sure that transport providers, if there were strikes on

the transport network have to provide a minimum service requirement, so essentially a pliers would make sure that even if —— essentially employers would have to make sure that they have enough employees to keep the transport running. mps would like to bring forward legislation to extend that into other areas, so beyond just the transport network. this is my own example, but for example, would it apply to teachers so that even if teachers wanted to take industrial action there would have to be a minimum service still provided across schools? that is not all downing street are saying, they were asked this afternoon about the idea of whether or not strikes in the emergency services could be banned altogether and that is something they are not ruling in or out despite being asked multiple times about it this afternoon. that is very tough talk when it comes to the idea of industrial action. labour

are very critical of the approach the government is taking and they are saying they should be getting around the table and facilitating discussions and trying to find resolutions but certainly the government making it clear that they are not impressed by the level of industrial action we are seeing looming at the moment. unions are pointing out that their staff do not like taking this kind of action and they are doing so because unions? traditionally they have close links with the _ unions? traditionally they have close links with the unions - unions? traditionally they have close links with the unions and | close links with the unions and under keir starmer they still have close links, of course, but labour tend to default to the line of saying that if they win government they would be getting around a and getting more involved in strike discussions and they would be facilitating what is going on between employers and employees. where labour are more hesitant to

make commitments is when they are pressed on how much you would be given to train drivers, how much would they be giving to teachers and nurses, because labour are trying to find a balance between not saying they would give the inflation level strikes that some of the employees would like to see but certainly trying to suggest that they would be taking a more generous approach than the government is. but there line and the ones —— one they seem to be taking is that if they were in government they would take a more proactive role. government they would take a more proactive role-— proactive role. some breaking news about matt hancock. _ proactive role. some breaking news about matt hancock. celebrity - proactive role. some breaking news| about matt hancock. celebrityjungle camp mate and former minister. matt hancock, camp mate and former minister. matt hancock. the — camp mate and former minister. matt hancock. the m _ camp mate and former minister. matt hancock, the i'm a _ camp mate and former minister. il�*ié�*iiii hancock, the i'm a celebrity finalist will not be contesting the next general election. he has written to rishi sunak saying that he intends to stand down as a member of parliament for west suffolk and because he is not a conservative mp

at the moment because he lost the whip when he went into the jungle so the right to sit as a conservative has not been given back. a spokesperson always stressed that matt hancock planned to be involved in politics after the jungle so i don't think we have seen the last of him. he talks about how politicians must find new ways to reach people and he says the modelling of conservatism that will happen inside and outside the house of commons and he says he wants to play a future role in the country going forward. we have had politicians who have left the house of commons and gone on to have quite prominent media careers, like michael portillo, ed balls, ann widdecombe, so maybe matt hancock is a name that we add into the mix. we will have to wait and see what he does next. i don't think it will be a quiet retirement for mr hancock. , ,., ., ., it will be a quiet retirement for mr hancock. , ., ., ., hancock. interesting! david, good to talk to vou- —

hancock. interesting! david, good to talk to you. thanks _ hancock. interesting! david, good to talk to you. thanks for _ hancock. interesting! david, good to talk to you. thanks forjoining - hancock. interesting! david, good to talk to you. thanks forjoining us. i the issues over ambulance staff walkouts, comes amid growing concerns, over ambulance response times. in one of england's worst performing regions for delays, in the west midlands, there's been a big rise in the number of patients who've died, when emergency crews were late to reach them. here's bbc newsnight�*s david grossman. ijust assumed, like 90% of other people, that when you ring 999 and you call for an ambulance, that within a few minutes, that one will be with you. when darren childs' i2—month—old daughter myla had a seizure and for a time stopped breathing, it took 47 minutes for

the ambulance to come. the target for the average response time on such a serious life or death call is seven minutes. it was horrendous. it's every parent's worst nightmare. mercifully, darren�*s daughter survived, but sadly, many do not. data obtained by newsnight through a freedom of information request paints a worrying picture. in the whole of 2020, west midlands ambulance service had just one patient who was dead by the time the ambulance turned up following a delay. so far this year, up until september, the total is 37. and that is with three months' data still to come. as we've heard repeatedly, one of the big problems is ambulances being stuck outside hospitals, unable to hand over patients. over a single day, newsnight journalists monitored ambulances at five hospitals covered by west midlands ambulance service to see just how bad the problem is right now. on the day we recorded data,

the longest an ambulance had to wait to hand over a patient was; at worcester royal, 21 hours; at princess royal hospital in telford, 19 hours; at alexandra hospital in redditch, 8 hours; at royal stoke, 15 hours; and at royal shrewsbury, more than 20 hours. problems at the ambulance trust go far deeper than just delays. the number of serious incidents defined as an avoidable, serious outcome caused by problems with care has shot up over 400% so far this year, compared with the same period last year. minutes of the ambulance trust board meeting suggests part of the rise in serious incidents is down to mismanagement of things like choking and cardiac arrest. newsnight�*s been told by a senior ambulance trust insider that actually most of these serious incidents have their root cause in the long delays. experienced staff, we were told, are getting fed up of hanging around outside hospitals for an entire shift, so they're leaving theirjobs.

and in their place, the new recruits, well, they're hanging around outside hospitals, so they're not getting experience of the range of problems that they're going to have to deal with safely. west midlands ambulance service say they remain confident in the training student paramedics receive, and the vast majority of the rise in serious incidents was down to hand over delays. the department of health and social care said it was taking urgent action to support the ambulance service and staff. childs, darren, is duly elected councillor for the town council. after what happened to his daughter, darren childs won a local council seat on a pledge to sort out delays. he says, however, problems have got worse. the stories have gone from we waited three, four hours to five, six hours, to eight, nine hours. so now you've got people waiting nine hours for ambulances. i think that the nhs isn't just in crisis any more. i think the nhs is failing

and we are losing the nhs, and i think that this winter's pressures are going to be the thing that topples the nhs over. david grossman, bbc news. and you can see more on that story at 10.30pm, on newsnight, on bbc 2. the government has scrapped a flagship piece of legislation, designed to raise standards of education in england. the schools bill included plans for a register of children who are missing lessons, and for all schools to become part of multi—academy trusts. our education correspondent hazel shearing has more. the schools bill has faced a lot of hurdles since it was first introduced. we had the schools white paper, a policy document outlining the government's vision back in march. over the some of the schools legislation, the schools bill, which is legislation to implement some of that vision,

came up against hurdles in the house of lords where it was criticised as a power grab for some proposals related to academies. it was then rumoured that the schools bill would ultimately be dropped and the education secretary confirmed this was the case when she was speaking to mps earlier this morning. hazel shearing there. met office yellow weather warnings for snow and ice come into force across parts of the uk today. temperatures could fall to minus six in places. health officials are urging people to put their heating on, despite rising bills. i'm joined by our weather presenter matt taylor. we will come onto the yellow weather warning in a moment. there's an amber cold weather alert in force for some, what does that mean? this is for the health providers, it is done by the met office and the uk health security agency and it basically runs through the winter months from level one which is

green, general preparedness, to level four which is a national emergency when you are expecting severe prolonged weather and it helps get the services in gear to be prepared for an uptick in any admissions and any impact to services, that is generally for health providers but it gives a general flavour that we are into a prolonged spell of pretty cold weather. , , ., ., weather. these yellow weather warnings. _ weather. these yellow weather warnings, what _ weather. these yellow weather warnings, what do _ weather. these yellow weather warnings, what do they - weather. these yellow weather warnings, what do they mean? j weather. these yellow weather - warnings, what do they mean? these are for the public, _ warnings, what do they mean? these are for the public, this _ warnings, what do they mean? these are for the public, this is _ warnings, what do they mean? these are for the public, this is to _ warnings, what do they mean? these are for the public, this is to help - are for the public, this is to help us prepare and manage our day. issued by the met office, there are three levels, yellow, amber and red, and red is the most severe. we have yellow in these areas mainly for the risk of ice and plunging temperatures and around the periphery is around the country but you have a snow warnings in northern parts of scotland as well. these are the ones that we take notice of and we broadcast on what you can find on the app and on the bbc weather website. ., . ., the app and on the bbc weather website. ., _, , the app and on the bbc weather website. ., .., , 4, , the app and on the bbc weather website. ., , ,, , ., website. how cold is it likely to net? we website. how cold is it likely to get? we are — website. how cold is it likely to get? we are in _ website. how cold is it likely to get? we are in december. - website. how cold is it likely to get? we are in december. thisj website. how cold is it likely to l get? we are in december. this is nothin: get? we are in december. this is

nothing unusual. _ get? we are in december. this is nothing unusual. our— get? we are in december. this is nothing unusual. our coldest - get? we are in december. this is| nothing unusual. our coldest ever december night was in 1995 and determined to drop to around —27 but we are a long way off that. may be minus time, —10, towards the end of the week. this is normal winter weather but we have got to put this in context, it has been an incredibly mild year, every single month has seen above average temperatures and autumn, the third warmest on record, and this is probably the most prolonged spell of cold weather we have seen it since february 2021. so nearly two years. against a backdrop of rising energy bills and the prospects of a prolonged spell of cold weather of course gives everyone a reason for concern. ., , ., course gives everyone a reason for concern._ already i course gives everyone a reason for i concern._ already snow concern. could it snow? already snow in arts of concern. could it snow? already snow in parts of northern _ concern. could it snow? already snow in parts of northern scotland - concern. could it snow? already snow in parts of northern scotland and - concern. could it snow? already snow in parts of northern scotland and we | in parts of northern scotland and we have seen it fall in parts of shetland in particular and we will see a few other areas gets no but we are not expected to have significant impacts at the moment but next week the prolonged weather will go into next week and if the mild weather tries to work its way in, then we

could have a few issues, but it is way off. we will see what is happening over the coming days. is the cold weather limited to the uk or across the world?— the cold weather limited to the uk or across the world? across much of euro e, or across the world? across much of europe. the — or across the world? across much of europe, the weather _ or across the world? across much of europe, the weather patterns - or across the world? across much of europe, the weather patterns are i europe, the weather patterns are fairly static. blue colours are where the temperatures are below average at the moment, you can see in much of central and northern europe. eitherside in much of central and northern europe. either side of the warm air, eastern parts of the us are very warm, green then, towards the likes of antarctica, and even alaska where you have the warmest ever december day, so whilst we have got the call, others are getting the warmth. it is spread out across the northern hemisphere —— whilst we have got the cold. hemisphere -- whilst we have got the cold. ., hemisphere -- whilst we have got the cold. . ., ., , i'm joined now by brian horne, from the energy saving trust. this is a charity which promotes energy efficiency. thanks for joining us. give some advice. how'd we get the best efficiency from our

heating? we get the best efficiency from our heatin: ? ., we get the best efficiency from our heatin- ? . _ , , we get the best efficiency from our heatin: ? . _ , , , we get the best efficiency from our heatin. ? . ,, , , , . heating? heating systems, they are all different and _ heating? heating systems, they are all different and they _ heating? heating systems, they are all different and they run _ heating? heating systems, they are all different and they run at - all different and they run at different efficiencies. there are things you can do to improve that, whatever system you have got, and most people have gas central heating and the easiest thing you can do, is to get control of your heating controls and make sure you are not eating anything to a high—temperature —— heating anything. i'm not heating the house for longer than you need to heat it. that is the first thing to do, then you can look at the controls on the boiler and reducing the heat loss, as well. that is a much longer prospect. as well. that is a much longer prospect-_ prospect. we will come onto insulation — prospect. we will come onto insulation but _ prospect. we will come onto insulation but i _ prospect. we will come onto insulation but i want - prospect. we will come onto insulation but i want to - prospect. we will come onto insulation but i want to ask i prospect. we will come onto i insulation but i want to ask you prospect. we will come onto - insulation but i want to ask you a specific question. most people have got gas central heating. if you have got gas central heating. if you have got that, is it cheaper to turn the heating off and use electric heaters for want of a better phrase in a few particular rooms or is it better to

keep the heating on? the particular rooms or is it better to keep the heating on? the answer is, well, it depends. _ keep the heating on? the answer is, well, it depends. if _ keep the heating on? the answer is, well, it depends. if you _ keep the heating on? the answer is, well, it depends. if you have - keep the heating on? the answer is, well, it depends. if you have a - well, it depends. if you have a large house, relatively large, several rooms, you can normally heat the whole thing, but you are in the house on your own, like i am now. i am in one little room. heating the one room with a small electric heater is probably cheaper. the central heating here is off during the day. if you are looking at two or three rooms it is not so clear. if you have a small flat with a few rooms, it is probably cheaper using the central heating. in rooms, it is probably cheaper using the central heating.— the central heating. in terms of the electric heaters, _ the central heating. in terms of the electric heaters, how'd _ the central heating. in terms of the electric heaters, how'd we - the central heating. in terms of the electric heaters, how'd we get - the central heating. in terms of the electric heaters, how'd we get the l electric heaters, how'd we get the best efficiency out of them? —— how do we. best efficiency out of them? -- how do we. ., , ., best efficiency out of them? -- how do we. . , . ., best efficiency out of them? -- how do we. . , ., ., ., ., ,~/ do we. that is all down to how you use them because _ do we. that is all down to how you use them because they _ do we. that is all down to how you use them because they are - do we. that is all down to how you use them because they are all - do we. that is all down to how you use them because they are all the | use them because they are all the same efficiency. if you want to just

keep yourself or warm your feet up, then something like a heater on a very low setting very close to you is going to be the cheapest. if you are trying to heat a whole room but only for a few minutes, a fan heater it's probably quite quick at doing that. other electric heaters like convection heaters are better for heating over a long time but that gets expensive because the electricity itself is expensive. you touched on _ electricity itself is expensive. you touched on insulation in your first touched on insulation in yourfirst answer so let's rewind back to that. we are in the middle of this cold snap, and people cannotjust get the builders in tomorrow to insulate their homes, so what can people do in the short term now to help their energy efficiency?— in the short term now to help their energy efficiency? draught proofing can be quite — energy efficiency? draught proofing can be quite quick _ energy efficiency? draught proofing can be quite quick and _ energy efficiency? draught proofing can be quite quick and easy. - energy efficiency? draught proofing can be quite quick and easy. if- can be quite quick and easy. if you have draughty windows, draughty doors, get a draft proofing strip to go around them, if you have timber

floors, but sealant around the edge under the skirting board, that might help. and simple things like make sure you close the curtains and draw the blinds when it gets dark because that adds is —— as an extra insulating af. that adds is -- as an extra insulating af.— that adds is -- as an extra insulating af. that adds is -- as an extra insulatin: af. , ., ., ., insulating af. even if you have got radiators under _ insulating af. even if you have got radiators under the _ insulating af. even if you have got radiators under the window? - insulating af. even if you have got radiators under the window? you i insulating af. even if you have got i radiators under the window? you do not want radiators under the window? you do rrot want the — radiators under the window? you do not want the curtain _ radiators under the window? you do not want the curtain going _ radiators under the window? you do not want the curtain going over- radiators under the window? you do not want the curtain going over the l not want the curtain going over the radiator, if possible, that is very unfortunate. if you can tuck, if the curtain sits on the windowsill, that is fine, or tuck it behind the radiator so the heat goes up and not behind. ~ ., , radiator so the heat goes up and not behind. ~ . , ., i. radiator so the heat goes up and not behind. ~ . , ., ., , behind. what else would you advise to help keep — behind. what else would you advise to help keep bills _ behind. what else would you advise to help keep bills down? _ behind. what else would you advise to help keep bills down? it - behind. what else would you advise to help keep bills down? it depends what ou to help keep bills down? it depends what you have _ to help keep bills down? it depends what you have got _ to help keep bills down? it depends what you have got and _ to help keep bills down? it depends what you have got and how- to help keep bills down? it depends what you have got and how you - to help keep bills down? it depends what you have got and how you are| what you have got and how you are using it but the general principles are use things less, don't use things if you don't need to use them, and use them at a low temperature or a low setting, so it is washing at 30, waiting for the

dishwasher is full before you use it and having a shorter shower and shower instead of a bath. turning appliances of when you are not using them, turning lights off when you are not using them, choosing efficient appliances. just always bearing this in mind and getting into your mind to think about it whenever you turn things on and off. good advice. brian horne, from the energy saving trust. thanks forjoining us. 25 people have been arrested in germany, on suspicion of being involved in a plot, to overthrow the government. federal prosecutors say 3,000 officers raided several properties right across the country, including an army barracks. one person was also detained in austria, and another in italy, with the suspects all alleged to be part of a far right group, that planned to storm the german parliament. with the very latest,

here's damian mcguinness in berlin. this 71—year—old aristocrat, prince heinrich the 13th, was allegedly the ringleader of a far right plot to overthrow the german state and establish himself as monarch. this might sound far—fetched but it has sparked the largest anti—terror operation modern germany has ever seen. in raids across the country, 3,000 officers have arrested dozens of people, including former soldiers accused of going into barracks to recruit army staff, and an ex member of parliament, who until she was arrested, was working as a judge in berlin. the plan was to attack energy infrastructure, spark a civil war, and so overthrow the government. these people are known as the reichsburger, or citizens of the empire, in english. they are conspiracy theorists who don't believe in the legitimacy of the modern german state.

they claim it is occupied by the us, and want to set up a nation modelled on the german empire before world war i. outlandish ideas, but dangerous. translation: it should concern us ithat these people are not stupid. i they are educated people with experience in life. they have access to arms and to information and to important people. this combination makes it particularly threatening and remarkable. this movement has been active since the 1980s, but during the pandemic gained momentum, boosted by anti—vaccine covid deniers and conspiracy theorists, inspired by america's qanon. even trying to storm the german parliament in 2020. experts say this latest plot is unlikely to have worked. the movement is small and very fringe, but it is also potentially violent with access to military training and weapons. that's why germany takes this so seriously. damien mcguinness, bbc news, berlin.

politicians in northern ireland have briefly returned to the stormont assembly — but there's still no progress on the political deadlock, which has left no fully functioning devolved government for months. let's cross to belfast and to our ireland correspondent chris page. any sign of a breakthrough? in a word, any sign of a breakthrough? in a word. no- _ any sign of a breakthrough? in a word. no- it _ any sign of a breakthrough? in a word, no. it was _ any sign of a breakthrough? in a word, no. it was a _ any sign of a breakthrough? i�*i —. word, no. it was a very familiar opening scene, the screenplay was predictable but there was no unexpected twist at the end. this is the fifth time that members of the stormont assembly have been about sitting on their benches since an election in may but as has happened previously, they were not able to elect a speaker at the democratic unionist party vetoed the election of a speaker and therefore it meant after about a couple of hours of political tent pitching and points being scored, well, the formalities

were concluded and there was no further business that could be conducted. the recall brought about by sinn fein, now the largest party in the assembly, the irish republican party, they put down a motion to be debated saying that the democratic unionist party should lift its veto on the restoration of the power—sharing devolved government so that local ministers could be appointed to tackle the cost of living but the dup said it was sticking to its position, that the assembly and the stormont executive could not be restored and it would not allow it to be restored until the brexit trade border with the rest of the uk known as the northern ireland protocol, is removed. so a lot of speeches and passionate, angry even, some pretty tetchy exchanges, but ultimately northern ireland politics is doing the same it was in at the start of the same it was in at the start of the business at noon and that is no

assembly and no devolved government and it has been that way now over six months. no fully functioning devolved government now for ten months. 50 devolved government now for ten months. ., , . ., months. so no fully functioning devolved government - months. so no fully functioning devolved government now- months. so no fully functioning devolved government now for i months. so no fully functioning i devolved government now for ten months so to what extent is life carrying on in northern ireland as normal? , , ., , ., ., normal? delights are still on and children are _ normal? delights are still on and children are still _ normal? delights are still on and children are still going _ normal? delights are still on and children are still going to - normal? delights are still on and children are still going to and - children are still going to and hospitals are still operating —— the lights are still on. but if you speak to people in public services, they say the longer this goes on, they say the longer this goes on, the more difficult it becomes, and they say it was exactly the same the last time the assembly collapsed which was in 2017 and it stayed down for three years, which is when sinn fein resigned from the devolved government. so things are happening now, for example, a budget has been put in place for northern ireland at westminster because the stormont assembly has not been able to pass one because of the political deadlock and so schools, for example, are expected as a result of

that, to have two experience some funding cuts, also the health service is in something of a crisis. northern ireland has the longest hospital waiting times in the uk and of course there are the economic issues, not least the rising cost of living. the fact that there are not local ministers to make decisions in belfast on these matters, well, many people in northern ireland would say that the public services are slowly decaying and that key reforms that really need to happen in northern ireland are not happening. ichris ireland are not happening. chris pace, ireland are not happening. chris page. our— ireland are not happening. chris page, our ireland _ ireland are not happening. chris page, our ireland correspondent, thanks forjoining us. albania's ambassador to the united kingdom has demanded that britain must apologise for an anti—migrant "campaign" against people from his country. mr cherko says ethnic—albanian children are getting bullied in schools because of hostile media coverage over the issue of boatloads of migrants crossing the channel. more than 40,000 migrants have made the often—dangerous journey in small boats so far in 2022, with albanians now

the largest single group. joining me now is dr andi hoxhaj who is a lecturer in law at the university college london — who also gave evidence at this morning's committee hearing. it is lovely to have you here. you were originally from albania and you came here in 2004 for higher education. and then you state, so you are very well as well as being an academic, talk to us about this subject —— and then you state. what about the comments from the ambassador that an apology is needed? ., ., , ., needed? the ma'ority of the community. _ needed? the majority of the community, who _ needed? the majority of the community, who have - needed? the majority of the community, who have small| needed? the majority of the - community, who have small children, they felt they had been targeted because of the political rhetoric towards albanians in some sections of the media as well as politicians in this country. and how they have tried to make a case to have a more

close control over the cross—border, thatis close control over the cross—border, that is the position of the albanian government, how they feel about it and in terms of what they want to engage with the uk but i think we should talk beyond that because if we are just talking on rhetoric it is not something where we can make much progress because at the moment the tension has raised quite a lot on both sides and i think it is good that we calm down and try to find a sustainable solution that can be a benefit to the uk as well as to albania and it would be good to see eye to eye in terms of what problems they both have and how we can come to a sustainable solution and that was also part of my testimony today. understood. can you give a sense of why we have seen an increase in the number of albanians trying to reach the uk? �* ., .,

the uk? albania in the last three ears has the uk? albania in the last three years has had — the uk? albania in the last three years has had an _ the uk? albania in the last three years has had an earthquake - the uk? albania in the last three years has had an earthquake as i the uk? albania in the last three i years has had an earthquake as well as covid and that has pushed the poverty line to one third of the country meaning that they are living in unsustainable working conditions as well as economically. nearly 60% of those under the age of 34 down to 18 are unemployed, when we talk about the use, so when we compare the numbers, what we have seen arriving here as well as the group age, it is apparent that they have come because of a lack of economic opportunities and when we look in which area of albania they come from, the majority are coming from the rural areas. at the moment in albania you have most of the investment in the capital and in some cities, and what we also have in the uk in terms of levelling up, in the uk in terms of levelling up, in albania at that discussion is not

going on, and these are some of the reasons why they are post. and the kind of direction they take, whether they engage in organised crime, this is another discussion that we have to make in terms of trying to divide them in terms of what we are seeing with the situation. there is clearly a huge problem with rural poverty and unemployment and people want to come to the uk for a better life. you mention organised crime. do you recognise there is a problem with organised crime? absolutely there is a problem with organised crime and there is a good number of albanians involved in that the numbers here in the uk prisons provide that and the numbers are there and i'm not going to deny those facts, but the problem is how can we make people not become prey

to organised crime and how they should not get lowered into these kind of worlds, but there is an issue about organised crime, especially originating from albania and part of the hearing today was that we should engage both parties because of the moment we see the uk and albania notjoining in the investigation because there is a lack of trust between the law enforcement agencies and that is probably why we are seeing this situation, and moving forward it's important to recognise the shortcomings and make a case in terms of tackling it, especially organised crime because it's hurting albanians more than the united kingdom. b. albanians more than the united kinudom. �* ., , albanians more than the united kinudom. �* . , ., ., kingdom. a final brief thought, how confident or — kingdom. a final brief thought, how confident or otherwise _ kingdom. a final brief thought, how confident or otherwise argue - kingdom. a final brief thought, how confident or otherwise argue that i confident or otherwise argue that the trust the two sides can come together given the kind of rhetoric we are hearing from the government.

at the moment it seems difficult but we are optimistic because at this time of crisis we can at least talk more honestly about what are the real challenges and how we can move forward in a sustainable matter but at the moment it seems to be very hostile. taste at the moment it seems to be very hostile. ~ , ., at the moment it seems to be very hostile. ~ , . ., hostile. we must leave it there and t in: as hostile. we must leave it there and trying as the _ hostile. we must leave it there and trying as the old — hostile. we must leave it there and trying as the old enemy _ hostile. we must leave it there and trying as the old enemy but - hostile. we must leave it there and trying as the old enemy but thank. trying as the old enemy but thank you for coming in to talk to us. thank you so much. pleasure. good afternoon. we will start with the world cup. england's kyle walker has said kylian mbappe is just one player and that england shouldn't give the france player too much respect. walker has just finished speaking to the media ahead of england's world cup quarter final against the defending champions on saturday. our reporter alex howell was at that news conference. alex, this is going to be england's toughest match so far and a challenge for defender walker who'll have to mark one of the best

players in the tournment? that's right. it will be the biggest challenge that this england team have faced so far in the world cup but before we get into that battle that everyone is speaking about, what kyle walker said we should be focusing on the young players in the england team and the effect they can have, players like phil foden and jude bellingham and says the credit should go to the manager for allowing them to play and express themselves and they can play with more courage than when they first came into the setup when they were young players and answer that battle with mbappe, he was asked about it in the press conference and he was very strong and said it was not about one battle between him and mbappe and he said he would show him respect and would not show and roll out the red carpet but the manchester city man has been speaking more in depth about the battle that is to come.

i do understand what i have to do and that's to stop. it's probably easier said than done, but i don't underestmate myself. i've played him before and i've come up against a lot of great players in my time playing for england and man city, so i have to treat it as another game, i have to give him the respect he deserves, but not too much respect becaues he's also playing england and we can cause them problems. it's going to be a tough game, but not one player makes a team. so that was kyle walker before the challenge that faces him and england on saturday and before the press conference, the team were out training, 22 players on the pitch following the withdrawal of ben white and raheem sterling who has gone home and the only real concern is that declan rice did not train as he is unwell but looking forward to

the match, kyle walker said it's nothing to be scared about and they are looking at it as a chance to put down a marker to see that they believe they can win the world cup not that they don't believe already but beating the world champions would send out a very big message. michael o'neill has been appointed as manager of northern ireland for a second spell, signing a five—and—a—half year contract. in his first stint o'neill was in charge forjust over nine years during which northern ireland got to the 2016 euros, before he left in 2018 to concentrate on managing stoke. he was then sacked in 2020. o'neill told the media he believed he was a "better manager" now and could replecate his previous successes with the national side. england women thrashed the west indies by 142 runs to secure a dominant one—day international series win in antigua. chasing 261, the hosts were bowled out for 118 in a one sided encounter with england taking a 2—0 lead in the three match series. the final odi takes place on friday.

that's all the sport for now. the government is unlikely to meet its housebuilding targets, falling short by 32,000 affordable homes from its original 2016 and 2021 goals. a report by the public accounts committee says not enough socially—rented homes are being constructed to help ease the national housing crisis. the prime minister was criticised for watering down housebuilding targets after conservative mps pledged to vote in favour of banning mandatory targets in england. i'm joined now by dame meg hillier, labour mp and chair of the public accounts committee. good to have you with us and thank so much. house—building was

mentioned at prime minister's questions this lunchtime. what do you make of the government's decision to scrap targets for house—building? the decision to scrap targets for house-building? decision to scrap targets for house-buildina ? .., ., , �* house-building? the committee hasn't taken a view — house-building? the committee hasn't taken a view on — house-building? the committee hasn't taken a view on that _ house-building? the committee hasn't taken a view on that and _ house-building? the committee hasn't taken a view on that and speaking i house-building? the committee hasn't taken a view on that and speaking as i taken a view on that and speaking as an mp and as the vision in the government, they can't even get their own legislation through at risk of rebellion from their own side so it doesn't suggest we have a strong government and one of the things is we need to have clear direction and clearly the direction from the government is not agreed. the committee has found the government is unlikely to meet its house—building targets falling short by 32 thousand unaffordable hope —— affordable homes, so what impact will it have? we affordable homes, so what impact will it have?— will it have? we are clear about this as mps _ will it have? we are clear about this as mps and _ will it have? we are clear about this as mps and we _ will it have? we are clear about this as mps and we deal - will it have? we are clear about this as mps and we deal with i will it have? we are clear about i this as mps and we deal with people who desperately need housing and

generation rent who cannot afford to rent or buy, so on the affordable front, this is a different category and this means there will be thousands of people still waiting for social housing all crammed into some private rented accommodation thatis some private rented accommodation that is not suitable or secure for a family and all of these housing areas have their role but they are overcrowded at the moment and there are more people in private rented that would normally be the case because so many people cannot get a socially rented house in certain parts of the country but one of the things we are clear about is there needs to be local input into this because it's notjust numbers, it's the right type of housing for the area and for some people that will be social rent and for some it will be social rent and for some it will be shared ownership. can be social rent and for some it will be shared ownership.— be social rent and for some it will be shared ownership. can you help me with some of — be shared ownership. can you help me with some of these _ be shared ownership. can you help me with some of these terms, _ be shared ownership. can you help me with some of these terms, social- with some of these terms, social rent, affordable housing, what do they mean exactly because sometimes these terms get mixed up with each other. i these terms get mixed up with each other. ., these terms get mixed up with each other. ~ , ., ., ., ., other. i think you are right on one ofthe other. i think you are right on one of the concerns _ other. i think you are right on one of the concerns we _ other. i think you are right on one of the concerns we had _ other. i think you are right on one of the concerns we had is - other. i think you are right on one of the concerns we had is the i of the concerns we had is the government talks about the affordable housing programme but it doesn't separate them out so you

have affordable homes for rent which is 80% of private rents which in some parts of the country is not very affordable and social renting which is capped at a lower level and mean somebody working on a job can afford to pay their rent and have independence around housing and then you have shared ownership where people buy a percentage of the home and pay rent, usually to a housing association and that is what is meant by affordable housing in the round but it's clear from the government's own figures there is a better cost benefit ratio for social housing because overall you save money in the long run. xyour money in the long run. your committee _ money in the long run. your committee is _ money in the long run. your committee is talking - money in the long run. your committee is talking about i money in the long run. your| committee is talking about a national housing crisis. if these affordable homes are not built, what is the impact going to be? itjufit is the impact going to be? it 'ust uts is the impact going to be? it 'ust puts increasing i is the impact going to be? it 'ust puts increasing pressure i is the impact going to be? it 'ust puts increasing pressure on i is the impact going to be? itjust puts increasing pressure on the i puts increasing pressure on the private rented market and means people are living in increasingly overcrowded conditions are not able to get on with their lives are many people cannot afford to, in my area in central london, so it might be exceptional but £750,000 for a

two—bedroom new build flatties out the reach of many people so we need socially renting housing and shared ownership are people who want to buy but cannot afford on the open market. other areas might need starter homes for young couples with young people wanting to live away from their parents and some people need family housing but the affordable housing is critical because without it you lose workers from where they cannot live and so the cbi has previously said about how far workers are having to travel because of the cost of living and in central london and the big cities. the government says there's more to do and it is investing £11.5 billion to build more affordable homes and before the pandemic it reach the highest rate of house—building in 30 years and i appreciate you saying the government needs to do more, but do you accept it is doing something? you have to careful figures announced by that because it's about

natural homes where people can put their key and the door and it's a secure home for as long as they need it and that's what we are keen to see but the key thing about the affordable housing is that these are desperately needed and the further you get behind, the further you need to catch up on this does require some investment by government because it's not on the private market and this shows that it's better value for money in the long run. better value for money in the long run, ,, . . , , better value for money in the long run. ,, . . , , ., , better value for money in the long run. ,, .. ,, ., , ., run. successive governments have built u- run. successive governments have built up mr — run. successive governments have built up mr targets, _ run. successive governments have built up mr targets, so _ run. successive governments have built up mr targets, so we - run. successive governments have built up mr targets, so we need i run. successive governments have i built up mr targets, so we need more socially rented homes. it’s built up mr targets, so we need more socially rented homes.— socially rented homes. it's easy to sa the socially rented homes. it's easy to say they are _ socially rented homes. it's easy to say they are harder _ socially rented homes. it's easy to say they are harder to _ socially rented homes. it's easy to say they are harder to deliver i socially rented homes. it's easy to say they are harder to deliver and | socially rented homes. it's easy to| say they are harder to deliver and i know many councils want to deliver it but they need support from the government and we are in difficult times and and it's harder to meet the target because of the external factors and and it will have to work

doubly hard to overcome the house —— the problems. a former hospital electrician has been sentenced for abuse of a further 23 bodies, at the mortuary where he worked, in tunbridge wells. david fuller, who's 68, was jailed for an additional four years at the old bailey. he's already serving two whole life terms for the murders of wendy knell and caroline pierce in 1987, and has already been convicted for the sexual abuse of the corpses of 78 women and girls. here' s piers hopkirk. you are under arrest of the suspicion of murderfor you are under arrest of the suspicion of murder for wendy nell and caroline piers in 1987. d0 suspicion of murder for wendy nell and caroline piers in 1987.- and caroline piers in 1987. do you understand? _ and caroline piers in 1987. do you understand? after _ and caroline piers in 1987. do you understand? after his _ and caroline piers in 1987. do you understand? after his arrest i and caroline piers in 1987. do you understand? after his arrest and l understand? after his arrest and subsequent convictions, david fuller's appalling crimes were described as depraved, disgusting and dehumanising, on a scale never encountered before in legal history.

today, cameras were allowed to filth in sentencing for further sexual offences committed in a hospital mortuary. offences committed in a hospital mortua . , ., , ., offences committed in a hospital mortua . ., mortuary. the depravity of what you did to those — mortuary. the depravity of what you did to those you _ mortuary. the depravity of what you did to those you killed _ mortuary. the depravity of what you did to those you killed on _ mortuary. the depravity of what you did to those you killed on those i mortuary. the depravity of what you did to those you killed on those you | did to those you killed on those you defiled after death reveals that your conscience is seared. it is almost impossible to believe that a single man can cause the misery to so many that you have done. but you did it, and in consequence, you are paying the price that human justice can exact, the rest of your mortal life in prison. can exact, the rest of your mortal life in prison-— life in prison. david fuller murdered _ life in prison. david fuller murdered the _ life in prison. david fuller murdered the two - life in prison. david fuller murdered the two women life in prison. david fuller- murdered the two women into life in prison. david fuller— murdered the two women into separate attacks in tunbridge wells in 1987. during that investigation it emerged he had been abusing the bodies of corpses at hospital mortuary is. fuller was at the kent and sussex hospital until it closed in september 2011 was transferred to tunbridge wells hospital in pembrey where the offences continued until his arrest. last month he pleaded guilty to a further 16 charges

relating to 23 victims. you have no regard for the dignity of the dead. women who had recently died were attacked at a time when they were utterly alone, and unable to resist or report your exploitation. this utterly alone, and unable to resist or report your exploitation. as you well knew. — or report your exploitation. as you well knew, those _ or report your exploitation. as you well knew, those who _ or report your exploitation. as you well knew, those who cared i or report your exploitation. as you well knew, those who cared for i or report your exploitation. as you i well knew, those who cared for them were mourning the loss at the very time you were abusing them. dapid time you were abusing them. david fuller was already _ time you were abusing them. david fuller was already is _ time you were abusing them. david fuller was already is bending the rest of his life in prison and today's additional sentencing provides at least a sense ofjustice for his victims and for their families, forced to live with the knowledge of his crimes. two men have been arrested after a second burglary in the village where england footballer raheem sterling lives. surrey police are investigating whether there's a link between the incident in oxshott and the raid on the chelsea winger�*s home at the weekend. he flew back from the world cup

in qatar on monday to be with his family. the health secretary signals there will be no increased pay offer to stop ambulance crews and nurses in england going on strike. the government is scrapping the schools bill which ministers had promised would raise education standards across england. heat living rooms during the day and bedrooms before going to sleep. that's the advice from health officials as a cold speu from health officials as a cold spell hits the uk. the duke and duchess of sussex, have accepted an award in new york, for their work addressing racism and mental health issues. the event took place as netflix prepares to release the first instalment in a documentary entitled "harry and meghan", in which the couple are expected to reveal more about tensions with the royal family. our royal correspondent, sarah campbell's report containst flash photography from the start. the duke and duchess of sussex

on the red carpet at an awards ceremony in new york last night. this was their first public appearance since the trailers were released promoting their six part netflix series. no talk of that last night, or the rift with the royal family. meghan did reportedly talk about mental health on stage but the only footage released was light—hearted in tone. to be honest, i thought we were going on date night so i found it quite weird that we're sharing the room with 1500 people. we don't get out much because our kids are so small and young, so this is completely unexpected. on stage with them, kerry kennedy, who presented them with a human rights award named after her father, robert f kennedy. we are so proud of their work on racialjustice and on mental health, parenting and awareness, and the multitude of things that they have done, showing up when people really need them.

i realised they are never going to protect you. i the first three episodes of their new series will drop tomorrow. i just don't want history to repeat itself. these two minute—long trailers have already been poured over, dissected and commented upon, and the authenticity of some of the images questioned. the series has been billed as the couple's love story. and the challenges they have faced from the press, the family and the royal institution. there is a war against meghan. i can't bear the thought of it, i cringe when i think about it. i feel a bit sorry for them. i think they are quite - misunderstood and desperate for a bit of publicity. everybody wants to know the secrets hiding of the royalfamily, so, yes, looking forward to it. from the palace there has been no comment. last night the king and queen consort, along with the prince and princess of wales, were hosting a reception for the diplomatic corps. earlier in the day, the king was carrying out engagements in luton.

royal life continuing but in the knowledge that potentially more damaging revelations may be about to reach a global audience. the dilemma for the royal family is whether to respond if new allegations are made. sarah campbell, bbc news. a survey for cbbc�*s newsround programme has highlighted the impact the cost of living crisis is having on children. more than 2,000 young people between the ages of 7 and 15 were surveyed, and nearly three quarters said they were worried about rising costs. one in 10 children, said they were skipping more meals now, than three months ago, as hayley hassell reports, from blackpool. makenzie is 12. he's one of eight children and lives with his mom, kristy, on a large estate in blackpool. although his mum works, the money she gets doesn't cover all of their bills. it's hard because, like, you could have a whole cupboard

of food, and then the next couple of days, you could have nothing. and i'm like, you have to wait, like, at least a couple of days before your mother or father can go to the shop to buy more food. we use smaller portions to save some of the food that we might need later on, instead of going to the shop more often and buying more food, which costs more. the pocket money i have now, instead of using it to, like, buy toys and treats, obviously ijust put it on my dinner account at school. so obviously it helps out a lot instead of asking my mum, when she could use it for gas or electricity. blackpool is one of the most deprived areas of the country and things were tight for many people here even before the rise in the cost of things. so the local authority have put on this warm hub. it's a place where people can come to keep warm, but they can also get some food and use the electrical appliances here, so that at home they don't have to. i do come here a lot to hang out. and obviously keep warm a bit because it is very cold nowadays. it actually helps a lot because obviously you can

dry your clothes a lot instead of turning on your heating, or you can go to the cafe and like cheap meals, like £2 meals. the council's director of public health, dr arif rajpura, has helped fund this much needed community project. we've already got a population that's struggling here and now this cost of living crisis isjust adding to the burden of the problem. so it'sjust pushing people into a worse situation, and it's pushing more people into a situation where they're having to rely on support services like what we've got here. so it's down to families to help themselves. one of the ways mackenzie helps out is by going to the shop while his mum, kristy is at work, to pay for things like food and gas. hi,joe. please can i have £20 on gas? thank you. he's had to do a lot of changes. he goes and gets my gas for me. he goes and does my shopping a lot more.

he saves his spending money, which isn't quite fair, to be fair. and now he uses it to top up his dinner card because his dinners, it's not covered enough. thank you. bye! i'm super proud of mackenzie, but he shouldn't have to cope like that, really, should he? he's 12 years old, he shouldn't be doing that. a once—in—a decade un conference on biodiversity begins today in canada, amid warnings humans are driving mass extinction of life on earth, with a million species at risk of being wiped out. the uk is among a number of countries pushing for an ambitious deal to protect the planet's ecosystems, but, as one of the most nature—depleted countries in the world, britain's own record is now under scrutiny. our environment correspondent, helen briggs has more from somerset. a great egret making the most of a winter wonderland at wetlands

on the somerset levels. in winter, generally on wetlands and in estuaries, you get larger congregations of birds. as governments meet to agree tough new targets for protecting life on earth, conservation charities are calling for urgent action to restore nature. we are in a major extinction event. we've not seen species become extinct at the current rates as they are now, since the dinosaurs. so a million species, one in five species are at risk of extinction. so we need to halt that decline by the end of 2030 and need to be actually recovering nature by that point. born out of an industrial past, this reserve shows how, with a bit of help, nature can heal itself. so 25 years ago, this was an industrial landscape where they dug peat out of the ground. now it's precious wetlands full of wild birds. all different types of species come here to feed. but wildlife groups say while the uk's pushing for ambitious targets in montreal, it's not doing enough domestically.

so the government has led a really good level of ambition coming into montreal, particularly looking at 30% of land and sea protected by 2030. and that's essential if we're going to reverse nature's catastrophic decline. but fundamentally the uk government needs to be delivering on that here as well, at home. and we're not yet seeing that. only 3% of the land and 8% of our seas are effectively protected. the government says nature plays a crucial role in all our lives and it's working with other countries to put the natural world back on the road to recovery. these salt marshes on the somerset coast are another example of how a nature—depleted world can be turned around. old farmland has been flooded to provide space for nature. what we can learn from what we've been doing here at the marshes, by restoring wetlands on this sort of scale, is that we know that the wildlife is coming here and it's supporting biodiversity, but we're helping. there's a health and wellbeing benefits to people.

carbon storage properties. they are vital for our fight against climate change. so the time to act is now. places like this offer a glimpse of a more nature friendly future, but scaling it up will be a massive challenge. helen briggs, bbc news, somerset. now it's time for a look at the weather with louise 2022 has been a mild year, possibly the warmest on record which is making this current cold snap a shock to the system and it stays cold across the country through the week and we will see widespread shop frost, icy stretches around and the risk of snow showers. inland areas across england and wales are unlikely to see too much on the weight of snow but the shaded white areas, the risk of some showers across the coastal areas and maybe

some ice but significant risk of snow showers in the far north of scotland as much as between two or ten centimetres accumulating in the next couple of days and this is the recent activity and you see quite a rush of snow showers pushed in by a brisk northerly wind in the far north of scotland, so a cold afternoon and we will see some showers running off the north sea coast of a wintry nature here and across wales and south—west england, if you catch a shower, it will be rain. sandwiched in between the two, dry, settled and sunny but not that warm and your thermometers might say between four and 6 degrees but factor in the direction of the wind on the strengths of the north it will feel below freezing for many. as we move into the evening we will see the showers and any sticky out bits and coastal areas at risk of seeing showers hence the reason we have the warnings for ice as well, so bear it in mind. it looks as though it will be a cold night the temperature is widely stay below

freezing in places, around —4 or minus five degrees and we have these little weak weather fronts during the day on thursday which might well enhance snow showers that little bit further south and the wind direction is coming all the way from the arctic, so it is cold and we will see the risk of further snow and ice across the far north and i swear we have any showers running down through the coastal areas and we could see some accumulations across the north york moors into the afternoon and again, another chilly day in the temperature is really struggling. it looks likely as we head into the weekend that the wind will fall lighter and stay very cold indeed and we could see some freezing fog developing and that will make it feel even colder still. don't forget if you want more details you can look on the bbc app and find out the latest in your area.

this is bbc news. the headlines: downing street says the government is considering new measures to curb disruption caused by strikes — as nhs staff are told there will be no increased pay offer to prevent industrial action. the government is scrapping its schools bill — which ministers had promised would raise education standards across england. heat living rooms during the day — and bedrooms before going to sleep — that's the advice from health officials as a cold spell hits the uk. 25 people have been arrested in raids across germany on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. days after returning to the commons from the celebrityjungle — matt hancock announces he'll step down as an mp

at the next general election. the duke and duchess of sussex accept an award for anti—racism work, ahead of the launch of their netflix show tomorrow. a once—in—a decade un conference on biodiversity begins today in canada, amid warnings humans are driving mass species extinction. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. downing street says the government is considering new measures to curb disruption caused by strikes. in the past few hours, the prime minister's spokesman has said existing legislation aimed at guaranteeing minimum service levels on the railways could be extended to other services.

let's cross to soputh london where the pcs union general secretary mark serwotka is giving a conference announcing dates for strikes at the home office. i'm joined by the national president and i havejust come i'm joined by the national president and i have just come from i'm joined by the national president and i havejust come from our national executive committee which is in full session in this building. we want to talk about the crisis facing the government's own employees, the civil service, the civil servants we represent, and 100,000 of our members have voted, 86%, in favour of strike action come across 124 different government departments and public sector employers. we represent people who work in job centres and tax offices and the department for transport, culture, museums and galleries, the

people who kept much of the country ticking over during the pandemic and the people who delivered the furlough scheme, 3 million claims to universal credit, kept the justice system running, and yet we also represent some of the lowest paid workers in britain and currently 40,000 civil servants are using food banks and 45,000 civil servants are claiming in work benefits because they are paid so little, and they claim benefits to supplement their wages. we have had ten consecutive years of pay rises less than the rate of inflation and this year the government has given people to percent yes, you heard it from a 2%, not 5% they are touting around that the public sector is being offered, not in the private sector, but 2%, while inflation runs at 11% and for most of our members it is probably near at 16% because of the poverty they are living in. the government is threatening to slash tens of

thousands ofjobs in the civil service as well, we are desperate for more resources, and they are threatening to cut redundancy terms at the point at which they are threatening massjob at the point at which they are threatening mass job loss at the point at which they are threatening massjob loss by at the point at which they are threatening mass job loss by a staggering 33% of people's contractual right. in addition they are robbing civil servants of their pensions by forcing them to pay 2% per month more each month than the independent pension evaluator said they should, so this is a crisis. we have tried over many months to negotiate with the government and we keep being told the government has an open door but there is no point of the door being opened if there is nothing behind the door. no money has been made available and no money has been made available and no money has been made available and no money has been put on the table and no assurances have been given to the hard—pressed people that we represent. therefore we have now sadly had to embark on calling industrial action that is going to have a major effect for people who use our public services because we,

like nurses and teachers and paramedics, and other people in the public sector, have no option other than to take industrial action because our members currently are skipping meals are not being able to put the heating on at home because of the poverty they are living in. as you are already aware we have already announced a series of industrial action that begins next month and it is part of targeted and sustained programme of industrial action that is designed to escalate each week unless the government is prepared to put money on the table now to deal with the poverty of its own workforce. next week industrial action begins and members will be on strike in the payments agency dealing with calls from farmers and those accessing payments in the agricultural sector. members will be on strike who do driving tests and at the vehicle standards agency for one month rolling around the country, at a time when there are already half a million people waiting for driving tests. members

will start industrial action next week on national highways with traffic officers taking industrial action over a five—week period rolling around the country and six of those days are coordinated to take place on the same day as rail strikes called by the rmt. we have announced two weeks strikes in dwp offices in liverpool and doncaster because members their face redundancies because the government is closing their offices at a time when we need more people in the communities dealing with the most vulnerable. i can confirm that our national executive committee has also agreed to serve notice on the home office for the following industrial action that will take place over christmas, all pcs members working as operational officers in the border force will be called out on strike on the 23rd, 24, 20 fifth and 26th of december, and the 28, 20

24, 20 fifth and 26th of december, and the 28,20 ninth, 24, 20 fifth and 26th of december, and the 28, 20 ninth, 30th 24, 20 fifth and 26th of december, and the 28,20 ninth, 30th and 24, 20 fifth and 26th of december, and the 28, 20 ninth, 30th and 31st. they will be called out on strike at birmingham airport, cardiff airport, gatwick airport, glasgow airport, heathrow airport, terminal is two, three, four and five, manchester airport, and the port of newhaven. those border force officers of primary duties will be to do with passport checks on people arriving in the country, where the union has very high levels of density, we will take action entirely over that period. as i said, the action we have called will have severe effects on people using our roads and leading driving tests and accessing payments and entering the country over the christmas period but this is the first round of action that is designed to be escalated. we represent a further 40,000 people in the dwp and other home office officials working on immigration at the port of dover and other areas as well as people right throughout

government departments and our action will escalate if this does not get the government to sit round the negotiating table. this action we have announced for pcs members whilst having a significant effect and whilst designed to be the opening shots to get the government to sit around the table, is notjust designed to be escalated with the pcs but we are talking now the union leaders of all other unions in the uk who also have live industrial action, and the tuc, in order to make sure it is notjust the pcs members that we care about, getting enough money to feed their kids and put the heating on, but that we all see justice for our health workers and teachers and lecturers and postal workers and all other working people who are currently being forced to pay an incredible price forced to pay an incredible price for the economic catastrophe caused by this government and once again we are seeing the people who can afford

it least being asked to pay the price for the folly of those who have the most. that cannot be right and our action is designed to get the government to see sense and to give our members money to stop them using food banks, which is the least they deserve. using food banks, which is the least they deserve-— using food banks, which is the least they deserve. studio: to put this in context. they deserve. studio: to put this in context- you — they deserve. studio: to put this in context. you have _ they deserve. studio: to put this in context. you have been _ they deserve. studio: to put this in context. you have been listening i they deserve. studio: to put this in | context. you have been listening and watching to the leader of the public and commercial services union which is the pcs and as you will have heard that you were listening, —— as you were listening, there is a significant escalation of strike action. the main use is that some civil servants including border force workers, will strike for several days beginning on the 23rd of december. and he said these border force officials who will be going on strike are at birmingham airport, cardiff airport, gatwick

airport, cardiff airport, gatwick airport, glasgow airport, some terminals at heathrow airport, manchester airport, and the port of newhaven. these are passport checks, those workers will be on strike and he also confirmed that his union is in talks with other unions in terms of escalating pressure on the government and he also repeated the fact that driving tests will be disrupted by strike action and traffic officers in terms of road maintenance works, that will be disrupted on the roads as well. he conceded that this action will have a considerable impact on the general public. this news that we were hearing comes on top of the fact that railway workers and ambulance staff have already announced fresh strike action so far this week.

earlier today the health secretary steve barclay signalled that the government will not increase its payoff is to nhs staff in order to avert strike action in the run—up to christmas so we can now get the latest on that from our political correspondent. an emergency service facing its own crisis. so say the unions representing ambulance staff across england and wales, who will go on strike in a fortnight over pay. life—saving care will be provided but unions claim the service is in a critical condition. one third of our members in the ambulance service are telling us that they believe delays have led to deaths. it is not industrial action that is posing a threat to the service, it's over a decade of cuts, this has been a long—running developing crisis and the government has simply refused to listen up to now. elsewhere, nurses in england, wales and northern ireland are also planning to walk out this month.

they, like others, want pay rises in line with inflation, which has been running at its highest rate in decades. but the government has been standing firm, saying their demands are unaffordable. if everyone in the public sector was to receive a pay rise in line with inflation, that would cost an extra £28 billion, an extra £1,000 per household. at a time of huge cost—of—living pressures, it is important we get that balance right between what additional tax we ask viewers to pay at a time of cost—of—living pressure alongside recognising that paramedics and the nhs as a whole have faced very real challenges as a result of the pandemic. rail workers are planning further strike action over december and january in a dispute with their employers over pay, terms and conditions. the transport secretary mark harper has insisted his role was not to negotiate but urged unions to keep talking and put any proposed deals to their members. but labour says ministers need to be around the table. we can't go on like this,

we have people leaving our front line professions. yes, they need a pay rise, yes, the situation is incredibly difficult, but that is why the government should be in the room, sitting around the table, moving heaven and earth to get this sorted. but in the commons this afternoon, rishi sunak said he was focused on minimising disruption from strikes. if the union leaders continue to be unreasonable, then it is my duty to take action to protect the lives and livelihoods of the british public, and that is why, since i became prime minister, i have been working for new tough laws to protect people from this disruption. from postal workers to driving test examiners, strikes are spreading across public services. they will be noticed and felt this winter while all sides try to find resolutions. leila nathoo, bbc news, westminster. earlier, i spoke to our political correspondent david wallace lockhart. there is legislation

making its way through parliament and it has perhaps been stalled a bit. the aim of it is to make sure that transport providers, if there were strikes on the transport network have to provide a minimum service requirement, so essentially employers would have to make sure that they have enough employees to keep a minimum service running. mps would like to bring forward legislation to extend that into other areas, so beyond just the transport network. this is my own example, but for example, would it apply to teachers? so that even if teachers wanted to take industrial action there would have to be a minimum service still provided across schools. that is not all downing street are saying, they were asked this afternoon about the idea of whether or not strikes in the emergency services could be banned altogether and that is something they are not ruling in or out despite being asked multiple times

about it this afternoon. that is very tough talk when it comes to the idea of industrial action. labour are very critical of the approach the government is taking and they are saying they should be getting around the table and facilitating discussions and trying to find resolutions but certainly the government making it clear that they are not impressed by the level of industrial action we are seeing looming at the moment. unions are pointing out that their staff do not like taking this kind of action and they are doing so because of the struggles that they are having with the cost of living. you mentioned labour, how tricky a topic is this for the labour party given that some of theirfunding comes from the unions? traditionally they have close links with the unions and under keir starmer they still have close links, of course, but labour tend

to default to the line of saying that if they were in government they would be getting around a table and getting more involved in strike discussions and they would be facilitating what is going on between employers and employees. where labour are more hesitant to make commitments is when they are pressed on how much you would be giving to train drivers, how much would they be giving to teachers and nurses, because labour are trying to find a balance between not saying they would give the inflation level rises that some of the employees would like to see but certainly trying to suggest that they would be taking a more generous approach than the government is. but their line and the one they seem to be taking is that if they were in government they would take a more proactive role. the government has scrapped a flagship piece of legislation, designed to raise standards of education in england. the schools bill included plans for a register of children

who are missing lessons, and for all schools to become part of multi—academy trusts. our education correspondent hazel shearing has more. the schools bill has faced a lot of hurdles since it was first introduced. we had the schools white paper, a policy document outlining the government's vision back in march. over the some of the schools legislation, the schools bill, which is legislation to implement some of that vision, came up against hurdles in the house of lords where it was criticised as a power grab for some proposals related to academies. it was then rumoured that the schools bill would ultimately be dropped and the education secretary confirmed this was the case when she was speaking to mps earlier this morning. hazel shearing, there. the former health secretary matt hancock is to stand down as a conservative mp at the next general election. he's already had the conservative whip removed after taking part in the reality tv show i'm a celebrity. he's tweeted that "there was a time when it was thought the only way "to influence the public debate

was in parliament, but i've realised "there's more to it than that. "for a healthy democracy we must find new ways to reach people." met office yellow weather warnings for snow and ice come into force across parts of the uk today. temperatures could fall to minus six in places. health officials are urging people to put their heating on, despite rising bills. our correspondent phil mackie is in shropshire. there are three weather warnings. the first in the north of scotland from now until midday tomorrow for snow and ice. the second covers this part of england bordering on north wales and mid wales and parts of northern ireland and south—west england particularly north devon and north somerset and that is for ice from five o'clock tonight

until six o'clock tomorrow. the third is a stretch of eastern england which is for ice until midday tomorrow. both of those warnings just for ice, not snow. i would not be surprised if some of the warnings are extended or renewed in the next couple of days because it looks like we are in for a cold spell. you mention people being told to turn the heating on and the advice is you should keep it around 18 and not lower. i know a lot of people are keeping it lower than that or not turning it on but it is very cold at the moment. you do not want to get too cold. you can wrap up as much as you like but it is safer to put the heating on and keep it to 18 degrees. we are expecting very cold temperatures and

actually in the areas where the warnings are place it may not get much above freezing during the daytime as well. i have spoken to national highways about the situation on the roads, especially of the major route through the west midlands where i am and they say they have gritters out tonight and they have gritters out tonight and they will be back again tomorrow morning. that only really affects the major route so if you are away from that in a place like bridgnorth it will be a bit icy and you have got to be watching out for that. a lot of people here are just saying, we are december, there has been a fast, what the story? the story is it is about the cost of living crisis and the fact people have not been heating their homes and they may need to start to do that. and some of those things which had been brought in to help, like warm banks and warm spaces, like libraries and public buildings, they are going to come into use much more over the next few days.

phil mackie, there. the government has announced a new compensation scheme for postmasters who were among the first to take legal action against the post office over the horizon it scandal. the scheme will enable postmasters to claim legal fees and to receive similar compensation to their peers. the post office it scandal was the uk's most widespread miscarriage ofjustice, the prosecution of postmasters was based on flawed information from the horizon computer system. joining me now is calum greenhow — chief executive officer of the national federation of sub postmasters. he also runs the post office in west linton in scotland. thanks forjoining us. we welcome this announcement?— thanks forjoining us. we welcome this announcement? yes, i do. but it is alwa s this announcement? yes, i do. but it is always the — this announcement? yes, i do. but it is always the fact _ this announcement? yes, i do. but it is always the fact that _ this announcement? yes, i do. but it is always the fact that the _ this announcement? yes, i do. but it is always the fact that the devil i this announcement? yes, i do. but it is always the fact that the devil is i is always the fact that the devil is in the detail so we need to know exactly how much compensation is going to be available and how we can access this as well. we still have a wee bit to go before the details

come out but it is a step in the right direction. i come out but it is a step in the right direction.— come out but it is a step in the right direction. i was going to ask ou about right direction. i was going to ask you about that. _ right direction. i was going to ask you about that. i _ right direction. i was going to ask you about that. i know— right direction. i was going to ask you about that. i know you i right direction. i was going to ask| you about that. i know you cannot give more detail but do you have a wider sense of how the scheme is going to work? mr; wider sense of how the scheme is going to work?— wider sense of how the scheme is going to work? my understanding is that from april _ going to work? my understanding is that from april next _ going to work? my understanding is that from april next year _ going to work? my understanding is that from april next year people i that from april next year people will be able to apply for additional compensation and this is for a group of people, 555, who took the post office to court in september 2018 with the ruling is coming down in march of march 2019, they received £50.5 million in compensation but a significant part of that conversation was taken up in legal fees. as a result they never really got the compensation they fully deserved. what this scheme from what we can initially see, it looks as if it will enable them to get more compensation certainly so they cover some of the consequential losses they have incurred over the years.

can money ever really compensate for what these people have been through? very good question. no easy answer. at the end of the day what we have to understand is exactly what they went through. we have been running the post office here in west linton at the last 27 years we are very much involved in the community and if we had been accused of stealing money which a lot of my former colleagues were, the devastation that would have on us personally, we would have to move home, and having to live all these years with the thought that our community, friends and family, thought we were a thief, thatis and family, thought we were a thief, that is a very hard thing to overcome and a very hard thing to deal with. overcome and a very hard thing to dealwith. some overcome and a very hard thing to deal with. some of these individuals, whether they were postmasters or assistance, orjust postmasters or assistance, or just employees, postmasters or assistance, orjust employees, they ended up injail. how can you properly compensate for everything they have experienced? at

least they could have a reputation is restored and at least if they can have their losses refunded then at least hopefully they can rebuild their lives and get on with their lives, that was the most important thing. at least we can give them that. ., . . . that. you are the chief executive officer of the _ that. you are the chief executive officer of the national _ that. you are the chief executive| officer of the national federation officer of the national federation of sub—postmasters, do you think that organisation could have been more supportive of the people who were going through this? good ruestion. were going through this? good question- we _ were going through this? good question. we were _ were going through this? good question. we were not - were going through this? good question. we were not the i were going through this? (limp. question. we were not the only organisation involved. there were a number of bodies involved and we all have to take a collective look at ourselves to see if we could have done more. one of the interesting aspects to come out of the inquiry thatis aspects to come out of the inquiry that is going on recently is just how high up within government circles and within the civil service and within the post office, it was actually known. but what has not come out is whether the

communication workers union or the cma, exactly how much they knew and whether they knew it was false and it was actually being used to prosecute people. it is a difficult thing and that is something the inquiry is investigating and certainly someone who has used the horizon system all the way through, and has been at risk as anyone, i want to know exactly what went on and what could have been done to prevent it. i am really looking to the inquiry to answer that question. we must leave it there, but thanks forjoining us. 25 people have been arrested in germany, on suspicion of being involved in a plot, to overthrow the government. federal prosecutors say 3,000 officers raided several properties right across the country, including an army barracks. one person was also detained in austria, and another in italy, with the suspects all alleged to be part of a far right group that planned to storm

the german parliament. with the latest, here's damian mcguinness in berlin. this 71—year—old aristocrat, prince heinrich the 13th, was allegedly the ringleader of a far right plot to overthrow the german state and establish himself as monarch. this might sound far—fetched but it has sparked the largest anti—terror operation modern germany has ever seen. in raids across the country, 3,000 officers have arrested dozens of people, including former soldiers accused of going into barracks to recruit army staff, and an ex member of parliament, who until she was arrested, was working as a judge in berlin. the plan was to attack energy infrastructure, spark a civil war, and so overthrow the government. these people are known as the reichsburger, or citizens of the empire, in english.

they are conspiracy theorists who don't believe in the legitimacy of the modern german state. they claim it is occupied by the us, and want to set up a nation modelled on the german empire before world war i. outlandish ideas, but dangerous. translation: it should concern us ithat these people are not stupid. i they are educated people with experience in life. they have access to arms and to information and to important people. this combination makes it particularly threatening and remarkable. this movement has been active since the 1980s, but during the pandemic gained momentum, boosted by anti—vaccine covid deniers and conspiracy theorists, inspired by america's qanon. even trying to storm the german parliament in 2020. experts say this latest plot is unlikely to have worked. the movement is small and very fringe, but it is also potentially violent with access to military training and weapons. that's why germany takes this so seriously.

damien mcguinness, bbc news, berlin. with me is our disinformation and social media correspondent marianna spring. tell us a bit more about what we know about who was actually involved in this plot. know about who was actually involved in this lot. �* , ., ., ., in this plot. there's a mention of one in particular, _ in this plot. there's a mention of one in particular, an _ in this plot. there's a mention of one in particular, an extremist. one in particular, an extremist group, the citizens of the right, in that group had been on the radar of the german police because of its links to violence and because of offshoot groups that have been involved in other promotional conspiracies or buying arms and especially in april this year, one of the offshoot groups linked to this was involved in an alleged plot to kidnap the health minister and that starts to give a clue as to what is driving or involved in this

movement, specifically the pandemic misinformation, and this group predates the pandemic and it existed before covid but it increased during that time which this group seems to have been involved in, with the covid disinformation, and you can see this group was involved in putting conspiracy theories about covid and vaccines which were actually used to control people, they said, or to limit the freedoms of people, and there is disinformation about the war in ukraine and there is a conspiracy theory in the us that we have related which is linked to the riots that happened at capitol hill. it is a conspiracy theory disinformation landscape but it says how emboldened these movements have become that they are considering things like this. , , ., , this. this is not 'ust something focusina this. this is not 'ust something focusing on — this. this is notjust something focusing on germany _ this. this is notjust something focusing on germany and i this. this is notjust something focusing on germany and thatl this. this is notjust something i focusing on germany and that is why it matters? ~ ,,., , focusing on germany and that is why it matters? ~ , ,., , ., ., it matters? absolutely. the average erson it matters? absolutely. the average

person might _ it matters? absolutely. the average person might think, _ it matters? absolutely. the average person might think, how _ it matters? absolutely. the average person might think, how would i it matters? absolutely. the average person might think, how would it i person might think, how would it have worked? it person might think, how would it have worked?— person might think, how would it have worked? , ., ., , have worked? it sounds outlandish. but it tells have worked? it sounds outlandish. lout it tells us _ have worked? it sounds outlandish. but it tells us about _ have worked? it sounds outlandish. but it tells us about the _ have worked? it sounds outlandish. but it tells us about the real- have worked? it sounds outlandish. but it tells us about the real world i but it tells us about the real world impact that this information can have the ability of more and radical groups to co—opt pandemic disinformation and that although the pandemic might feel easy in some parts of the world, has continued to proliferate and spread and harden on that link between online and off—line action and what happens in the online world is not limited to that we have seen that with the capitol hill rights in the us and with violence around anti—vaccine rallies and now this again appears to be another manifestation of that so it's important we treated with the seriousness that it deserves. absolutely. thanks forjoining us. now it's time for a look at the weather with louise. the weather story will be dominated by the cold in the next few days and there is the potential for by the cold in the next few days and there is the potentialfor some by the cold in the next few days and there is the potential for some snow showers and here are the recent ones

across the far north of scotland being driven by a brisk northerly wind and the air source coming all the way from the arctic, so a cold afternoon. some showers with a bit of a wintry flavour along the east coast and showers primarily of rain through the irish sea just impacting wales and south—west england. some sunshine in land, but a cold afternoon despite the sunshine around. factor in the direction of the wind, feeling noticeably colder for all of us. as we go through the evening hours the showers are likely to continue in the north in any of the sticky out bits, the east and west facing coast at risk of further showers and may be ice first thing in the morning. a bitterly cold start to thursday as well and the cold is set to continue. we will see widespread sharp frost, icy stretches and further snow showers for some. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines.

downing street says the government is considering new measures to curb disruption caused by strikes — as nhs staff are told there will be no increased pay offer to prevent industrial action. the government is scrapping its schools bill, which ministers had promised would raise education standards across england. heat living rooms during the day and bedrooms before going to sleep. that's the advice from health officials as a cold spell hits the uk 25 people have been arrested in raids across germany on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. days after returning to the commons from the celebrityjungle, matt hancock announces he'll step down as an mp at the next general election. the duke and duchess of sussex accept an award for anti racism work, ahead of the launch of their netflix show tomorrow.

sport now, and a full round—up from the bbc sport centre. we start with the world cup because england's kyle walker has been speaking to the media ahead of their quarter final match against france on saturday. unsurprisingly, he was asked several times how he planned to stop kylian mbappe. walker trained earlier today, but not with a full england squad. olly foster is live for us in doha. olly, what did walker say in reponse to that burning question? mbappe is the man to stop at this world cup, five goals and he is like lightning on the french wonder kid who help them win the world cup four years ago, but you know, he might put in a call to matty cash, the aston villa full—back who plays for poland who were knocked out to the french when mbappe scored twice. matt cash was the man who had to try and stop him and clearly didn't. he said he slowed him down a couple of times but ended up with mbappe

burning his legs. but he did get his shirt, so at least he got something off him. but kyle walker gave the game away, really, pretty much confessing that he would be the man who would be starting at right back or to the right side of a back three and that much we don't know, having them all set up defensively, but the main line of questioning for him is how on earth are you going to deal with mbappe. i how on earth are you going to deal with mbappe-— with mbappe. i understand what i need to do _ with mbappe. i understand what i need to do and _ with mbappe. i understand what i need to do and that _ with mbappe. i understand what i need to do and that is _ with mbappe. i understand what i need to do and that is obviously i with mbappe. i understand what i | need to do and that is obviously to stop in _ need to do and that is obviously to stop in it's— need to do and that is obviously to stop in. it's probably easier said than _ stop in. it's probably easier said than done — stop in. it's probably easier said than done but i don't underestimate myself— than done but i don't underestimate myself and — than done but i don't underestimate myself and as we've said there, i've played _ myself and as we've said there, i've played him — myself and as we've said there, i've played him before, and i've come up against _ played him before, and i've come up against a _ played him before, and i've come up against a lot — played him before, and i've come up against a lot of great players in my time playing for england and also manchester city and the clubs i've played _ manchester city and the clubs i've played for~ — manchester city and the clubs i've played for. so i treat it as another game _ played for. so i treat it as another game and — played for. so i treat it as another game and i— played for. so i treat it as another game and i take extra care and give him the _ game and i take extra care and give him the respect he deserves but not too much _ him the respect he deserves but not too much respect because also playing — too much respect because also playing england and we can cause them _ playing england and we can cause them problems. 0k, playing england and we can cause them problems. ok, it's going to be

a tough _ them problems. ok, it's going to be a tough game, but not one player makes _ a tough game, but not one player makes a — a tough game, but not one player makes a team.— a tough game, but not one player makes a team. looking forward to seeinr makes a team. looking forward to seeing him _ makes a team. looking forward to seeing him trying _ makes a team. looking forward to seeing him trying to _ makes a team. looking forward to seeing him trying to stop - makes a team. looking forward to | seeing him trying to stop mbappe. walker obviously train this morning with the squad but not a full squad. no, theirs is the last of the quarterfinal so they have until saturday evening and they are back at the stadium where they knocked out senegal. no ben white or raheem sterling, and we knew that because our personal reasons they are back in the uk but callum wilson is still nursing this minor muscle strain so no sign of him. nothing too serious, we hear. he's been very useful coming on for the last few minutes to hold up the forward line alongside or instead of harry kane, should harry kane need a rest but perhaps more worryingly no declan rice, who has been a mainstay at the heart of the england midfield in the holding role. he has an illness. how ill? we don't know, but certainly they were wanting to be a lot better by saturday evening.—

by saturday evening. thank you so much. michael o'neill has been appointed as manager of northern ireland for a second spell, signing a five—and—a—half year contract. in his first stint o'neill was in charge forjust over nine years — during which northern ireland got to the 2016 euros — before he left in 2018 to concentrate on managing stoke. who then sacked him in 2020. o'neill told the media he believed he was a "better manager" now and could replecate his previous successes with the national side. i wouldn't be here if i didn't believe it was possible. like anything, there's an excitement about it, of course, there is an apprehension about it and that is a good thing to have that nervousness about the situation as well. but, when you go through campaigns, you know what's required. players know what is required, but the ultimate thing to give us a chance will be the togetherness you need in a group of players. you need your top

players available and this is a ten game campaign we go into and we have to hit the ground running straightaway but i believe there is a realfocus in the straightaway but i believe there is a real focus in the senior group of players. that's all the sport for now. the issues over ambulance staff walkouts, comes amid growing concerns, over ambulance response times. in one of england's worst performing regions for delays, in the west midlands, there's been a big rise in the number of patients who've died, when emergency crews were late to reach them. here's bbc newsnight�*s, david grossman. ijust assumed, like 90% of other people, that when you ring 999

and you call for an ambulance, that within a few minutes, that one will be with you. when darren childs'12—month—old daughter myla had a seizure and for a time stopped breathing, it took 47 minutes for the ambulance to come. the target for the average response time on such a serious life or death call is seven minutes. it was horrendous. it's every parent's worst nightmare. mercifully, darren's daughter survived, but sadly, many do not. data obtained by newsnight through a freedom of information request paints a worrying picture. in the whole of 2020, west midlands ambulance service had just one patient who was dead by the time the ambulance turned up following a delay. so far this year, up until september, the total is 37.

and that is with three months' data still to come. as we've heard repeatedly, one of the big problems is ambulances being stuck outside hospitals, unable to hand over patients. over a single day, newsnight journalists monitored ambulances at five hospitals covered by west midlands ambulance service to see just how bad the problem is right now. on the day we recorded data, the longest an ambulance had to wait to hand over a patient was; at worcester royal, 21 hours; at princess royal hospital in telford, 19 hours; at alexandra hospital in redditch, 8 hours; at royal stoke, 15 hours; and at royal shrewsbury, more than 20 hours. problems at the ambulance trust go far deeper than just delays. the number of serious incidents defined as an avoidable, serious outcome caused by problems with care has shot up over 400% so far this year, compared with the same period last year. minutes of the ambulance trust board meeting suggests part of the rise in serious incidents is down

to mismanagement of things like choking and cardiac arrest. newsnight�*s been told by a senior ambulance trust insider that actually most of these serious incidents have their root cause in the long delays. experienced staff, we were told, are getting fed up of hanging around outside hospitals for an entire shift, so they're leaving theirjobs. and in their place, the new recruits, well, they're hanging around outside hospitals, so they're not getting experience of the range of problems that they're going to have to deal with safely. west midlands ambulance service say they remain confident in the training student paramedics receive, and the vast majority of the rise in serious incidents was down to hand over delays. the department of health and social care said it was taking urgent action to support the ambulance service and staff. childs, darren, is duly elected councillor for the town council. after what happened to his daughter, darren childs won a local council seat on a pledge to sort out delays.

he says, however, problems have got worse. the stories have gone from we waited three, four hours to five, six hours, to eight, nine hours. so now you've got people waiting nine hours for ambulances. i think that the nhs isn't just in crisis any more. i think the nhs is failing and we are losing the nhs, and i think that this winter's pressures are going to be the thing that topples the nhs over. david grossman, bbc news. and, you can see more on that story at 10.30pm, on newsnight, on bbc 2.

a former hospital electrician has been sentenced for abuse of a further 23 bodies, at the mortuary where he worked, in tunbridge wells. david fuller, who's 68, was jailed for an additional four years at the old bailey. he's already serving two whole life terms for the murders of wendy knell and caroline pierce in 1987, and has already been convicted for the sexual abuse of the corpses of 78 women and girls. here' s piers hopkirk. you are under arrest of the suspicion of murder for wendy nell and caroline piers in 1987. do you understand ? after his arrest and subsequent convictions, david fuller's appalling crimes were described as depraved, disgusting and dehumanising, on a scale never encountered before in legal history. today, cameras were allowed to filth his sentencing for further sexual offences committed in a hospital mortuary. the depravity of what you did to those you killed and those you defiled after death reveals that your conscience is seared. it is almost impossible to believe that a single man can cause the misery to so many that you have done. but you did it, and in consequence, you are

paying the price that human justice can exact, the rest of your mortal life in prison. david fuller murdered the two women into separate attacks in tunbridge wells in 1987. during that investigation it emerged he had been abusing the bodies of corpses at hospital mortuaries. fuller was at the kent and sussex hospital until it closed in september 2011 was transferred to tunbridge wells hospital in pembrey where the offences continued until his arrest. last month he pleaded guilty to a further 16 charges relating to 23 victims. you have no regard for the dignity of the dead. women who had recently died were attacked at a time when they were utterly alone, and unable to resist or report your exploitation. as you well knew, those who cared for them were mourning their loss at the very

time you were abusing them. david fuller was already spending the rest of his life in prison and today's additional sentencing provides at least a sense ofjustice for his victims and for their families, forced to live with the knowledge of his crimes. two men have been arrested after a second burglary in the village where england footballer raheem sterling lives. surrey police are investigating whether there's a link between the incident in oxshott and the raid on the chelsea winger�*s home at the weekend. he flew back from the world cup in qatar on monday to be with his family. a 28—year—old man has been charged with a public order offence after an 999 with a public order offence after an egg was thrown as the king was walking about. this egg was thrown as the king was walking about.— egg was thrown as the king was walkin: about. , . , . walking about. this was the incident outside luton _ walking about. this was the incident outside luton town _ walking about. this was the incident outside luton town hall— walking about. this was the incident outside luton town hall yesterday. | outside luton town hall yesterday. bedfordshire police have not name the suspect but in a statement they

said he had been charged under section five of the public order act and he has been bailed to appear at luton magistrates' court on the 9th of january. china has announced a major nationwide easing of its zero covid policy, a week after protests against the strict controls spread across the country. the country has ended compulsory centralised quarantine for people with mild cases of coronavirus, and made changes to a raft of other measures. from beijing, here's our china correspondent stephen mcdonell. previously, catching covid—19 here meant being sent to centralised quarantine facilities, which varied wildly in quality. not any more. now, if you contract the coronavirus, you can choose to isolate at home. though infections haven't come down, more easing measures have been announced. pcr tests are no longer required to enter buildings, apart from hospitals and schools. covid restrictions on inter—province travel have been removed.

translation: i've retired and i want to travel again. after easing up, i can go on a trip somewhere. all these venues are open, we can now go in the parks and the shopping centres. i'm still afraid, i i go to places where not many people and protect myself, wearing a mask and| washing my hands. anti—zero covid protests have been building all yearand, after calls were made for the country's leader xi jinping to resign, changes came quickly. the speed with which china is now dismantling its zero—covid system has taken most people by surprise. the government says it's because the virus itself has changed, not that it's in response to protests in the streets. well those who were demonstrating won't care how the government spins it, as long as they get the changes. but it will mean more people

catching the coronavirus and hospitals like this are going to find it difficult to deal with the big influx of patients, so officials say they're not expanding the capacity of specialist units. pharmacies have become very busy, with people rushing to buy medicine in anticipation of an increase in infections. but the mood here is much more buoyant. finally, there's light at the end of the zero covid tunnel. the duke and duchess of sussex have accepted an award in new york for their work addressing racism and mental health issues. the event took place as netflix prepares to release the first instalment in a documentary entitled "harry and meghan", in which the couple are expected to reveal more about tensions with the royal family. our royal correspondent, sarah campbell's report containst flash photography from the start. the duke and duchess of sussex on the red carpet at an awards

ceremony in new york last night. this was their first public appearance since the trailers were released promoting their six part netflix series. no talk of that last night, or the rift with the royal family. meghan did reportedly talk about mental health on stage, but the only footage released was light—hearted in tone. to be honest, i thought we were going on a date night so i found it quite weird that we're sharing the room with 1500 people! we don't get out much because our kids are so small and young, so this is completely unexpected. on stage with them, kerry kennedy, who presented them with a human rights award named after her father, robert f kennedy. we're so proud of their work on racialjustice and on mental health, parity and awareness, and the multitude of things that they have done, showing up when people really need them. i realised they're never going to protect you. i the first three episodes of their

new series will drop tomorrow. i didn't want history to repeat itself. these two minute—long trailers have already been poured over, dissected and commented upon, and the authenticity of some of the images questioned. the series has been billed as the couple's love story. and the challenges they have faced from the press, the family and the royal institution. there was a war against meghan. i can't bear the thought of it, i cringe when i think about it. i feel a bit sorry for them. i think they are quite - misunderstood and desperate for a bit of publicity. everybody wants to know the secrets hiding in the royalfamily, so, yes, looking forward to it. from the palace there has been no comment. last night the king and queen consort, along with the prince and princess of wales, were hosting a reception for the diplomatic corps. earlier in the day, the king was carrying out engagements in luton. royal life continuing, but in the knowledge that

potentially more damaging revelations may be about to reach a global audience. the dilemma for the royal family is whether to respond if new allegations are made. sarah campbell, bbc news. a once—in—a decade un conference on biodiversity begins today in canada, amid warnings humans are driving mass extinction of life on earth, with a million species at risk of being wiped out. the uk is among a number of countries pushing for an ambitious deal, to protect the planet's ecosystems, but, as one of the most nature—depleted countries in the world, britain's own record, is now under scrutiny. our environment correspondent, helen briggs, has more, from somerset. a great egret making the most of a winter wonderland at wetlands on the somerset levels. in winter, generally on wetlands and in estuaries, you get larger congregations of birds. as governments meet to agree tough new targets for protecting life on earth, conservation charities

are calling for urgent action to restore nature. we are in a major extinction event. we've not seen species become extinct at the current rates as they are now, since the dinosaurs. so a million species, one in five species are at risk of extinction. so we need to halt that decline by the end of 2030 and need to be actually recovering nature by that point. born out of an industrial past, this reserve shows how, with a bit of help, nature can heal itself. so 25 years ago, this was an industrial landscape where they dug peat out of the ground. now it's precious wetlands full of wild birds. all different types of species come here to feed. but wildlife groups say while the uk's pushing for ambitious targets in montreal, it's not doing enough domestically. so the government has led a really good level of ambition coming into montreal, particularly looking at 30% of land and sea protected by 2030.

and that's essential if we're going to reverse nature's catastrophic decline. but fundamentally the uk government needs to be delivering on that here as well, at home. and we're not yet seeing that. only 3% of the land and 8% of our seas are effectively protected. the government says nature plays a crucial role in all our lives and it's working with other countries to put the natural world back on the road to recovery. these salt marshes on the somerset coast are another example of how a nature—depleted world can be turned around. old farmland has been flooded to provide space for nature. what we can learn from what we've been doing here at the marshes, by restoring wetlands on this sort of scale, is that we know that the wildlife is coming here and it's supporting biodiversity, but we're helping. there's a health and wellbeing benefits to people. carbon storage properties. they are vital for our fight against climate change.

so the time to act is now. places like this offer a glimpse of a more nature friendly future, but scaling it up will be a massive challenge. helen briggs, bbc news, somerset. i wanted to imagine you love your job so much that you are still working at the age of 90 and have no intention of retiring. that's exactly what a care worker in merseyside is doing and she's won lifetime achievement prize. mary is many —— all of the many she looks after at the home where she works in southport and has been speaking to our reporter. this is one of two 12—hour shifts a week for mary. she decided to drop to part—time when she turned 90. it's not a job to me, i love it. i really love it. i don't feel old because they don't make me feel old. forgive me for saying but do you ever have

residents who just arrived here and think you are one of them? yeah, and that's a good thing. the main thing about caring, i think, is get their trust. if you get their trust, you are well away. you didn't start life here in southport, you came from the same island as me when you were just 16 years old. yes, i'm from ireland, county mayo. my mother used to say, "you have to go when you're 16 because there's no work here." 16 to 60, mary worked as an auxiliary nurse. but her retirement only lasted a week. i'm nervous now. mary, you've just won a lifetime achievement award at the age of 90. you must feel really, really proud. i feel honoured and i feel humble. ridiculous, really. she's an inspiration for the youngest member of staff here. i've done thisjob for ten years now.

mary's done it a lot longer. but i'm hoping... maybe not 90 but, yeah, i hope i'm still going along like mary is. the home's manager says mary has been his mentor. i would say mary is an inspiration to all the staff. she is a role model for all the youngsters, and i will say she has a young heart. she's 90 — her heart is very, very young. few of us will win one of these once in our lives. this is mary's second lifetime achievement award. as for giving up work, she has no intention of stopping any time soon. you tried retirement once when you were 60, you lasted for one week. will you give it a go again now you're 90? no! until they stop me, then too late. no.

i love it. it's not work to me, it never has been. it's always been sort of an honour, i think. some very welcome uplifting news. let's catch up with the weather. we will see icy stretches around, and yes, the risk of snow showers. inland areas across england and wales are unlikely to see too much in the way of snow but the shaded white areas, the risk of some snow showers across the coastal areas and may be some eyes, but more significant risk of scotland, as

much as between two and ten centimetres of snow accumulating over the next couple of days and this is the recent activity. you see a rush of snow showers being pushed in by a brisk northerly wind in the far north of scotland, so i cold afternoon appear and we will see some showers running in of the north sea coast, may be of a wintry nature and across wales and south—west england if you catch a show it will be offering. sandwiched between the two, dry, settled and sunny but not particularly warm in the thermometer might say four or 6 degrees but factor in the direction of the wind on the strength to the north, it will feel sub freezing for many. as we move into the evening and we see the showers, any sticky out bits, coastal areas at risk of seeing showers, hence the reason we have the warnings out for ice, so bear that in mind. it looks as though it will be a cold night with temperatures widely staying below freezing in places, around —4 minus

five degrees and we have these weak weather fronts during the day on thursday which might enhance snow showers that little further south and the wind direction is coming all the way from the arctic, so it is cold and we will see the risk of further snow and ice across the far north and eyes where we have showers running down the coastal areas and we could see accumulations across the north york moors into the afternoon and again, another chilly day with temperatures really struggling. it looks likely as we head into the weekend that the wind will fall later still and will stay very cold indeed and we could see this freezing fog developing and that will make it feel colder still. if you want more detail you can look at the bbc up and find out the latest in your area.

this is bbc news. the headlines: downing street says the government is considering new measures to curb disruption caused by strikes — as nhs staff are told there will be no increased pay offer to prevent industrial action. we like nurses and teachers and paramedics and other people in the public sector, have no option other than to take industrial action because our members as currently are skipping meals are not being able to put the heating on at home because of the poverty they are living in. —— and not being able. heat living rooms during the day — and bedrooms before going to sleep — that's the advice from health officials as a cold spell hits the uk. 25 people have been arrested in raids across germany on suspicion of plotting

to overthrow the government. days after returning to the commons from the celebrityjungle — matt hancock announces he'll step down as an mp at the next general election. a once—in—a decade un conference on biodiversity begins today in canada, amid warnings humans are driving mass species extinction. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. downing street has said it won't rule out new laws to curb public sector workers going on strike. the prime minister's spokesman said ministers were considering legislation aimed at guaranteeing minimum levels of public services, amid a wave of strikes among nhs staff, railway workers and civil servants. ambulance staff and rail unions have

announced fresh strike action already this week, and in the last hour, border force staff at the uk's main airports have said they'll walk out over christmas. the warning from the government came as the health secretary, steve barclay, refused to increase its pay offer to nhs staff. let's get the latest from our political correspondent leila nathoo. an emergency service facing its own crisis. so say the unions representing ambulance staff across england and wales, who will go on strike in a fortnight over pay. life—saving care will be provided but unions claim the service is in a critical condition. one third of our members in the ambulance service are telling us that they believe delays have led to deaths. it is not industrial action that is posing a threat to the service, it's over a decade of cuts, this has been a long—running developing crisis and the government has simply refused to listen up to now.

elsewhere, nurses in england, wales and northern ireland are also planning to walk out this month. they, like others, want pay rises in line with inflation, which has been running at its highest rate in decades. but the government has been standing firm, saying their demands are unaffordable. if everyone in the public sector was to receive a pay rise in line with inflation, that would cost an extra £28 billion, an extra £1,000 per household. at a time of huge cost—of—living pressures, it is important we get that balance right between what additional tax we ask viewers to pay at a time of cost—of—living pressure alongside recognising that paramedics and the nhs as a whole have faced very real challenges as a result of the pandemic. rail workers are planning further strike action over december and january in a dispute with their employers over pay, terms and conditions. the transport secretary mark harper has insisted his role was not to negotiate but urged unions

to keep talking and put any proposed deals to their members. but labour says ministers need to be around the table. we can't go on like this, we have people leaving our front line professions. yes, they need a pay rise, yes, the situation is incredibly difficult, but that is why the government should be in the room, sitting around the table, moving heaven and earth to get this sorted. but in the commons this afternoon, rishi sunak said he was focused on minimising disruption from strikes. if the union leaders continue to be unreasonable, then it is my duty to take action to protect the lives and livelihoods of the british public, and that is why, since i became prime minister, i have been working for new tough laws to protect people from this disruption. from postal workers to driving test examiners, strikes are spreading across public services. they will be noticed and felt this winter while all sides try to find resolutions. leila nathoo, bbc news, westminster.

the secretary general of the public and commercial services union — the pcs, mark serwotka, said border force staff will strike for eight days over christmas at several airports across the country, including heathrow and gatwick. heathrow has warned passengers will face delays on the affected days. thousands of other civil servants — including driving test examiners — will also be taking industrial action. here's a little of what mark serwotka said earlier. we keep being told the government has an open door but there is no point the door being opened if there is nothing behind it, no money has been made available and no money has been made available and no money has been put on the table, and no assurances have been given to the hard—pressed people that we represent. therefore we have now sadly had to embark on calling industrial action that is going to have a major effect on people who use our public services because we

like nurses and teachers and paramedics and other people in the public sector, have no option other than to take industrial action because our members currently are skipping meals and not being able to put the heating on at home because of the poverty they are living in. i can confirm today that our neck is —— national executive committee has served notice on the home office for the following industrial action that will take place over the christmas period, all pcs members working as operational officers in the border force will be called out on strikes on december 23, 24, 20 fifth, 26, and 28, 20 on december 23, 24, 20 fifth, 26, and 28,20 ninth, 30th and on december 23, 24, 20 fifth, 26, and 28, 20 ninth, 30th and 31st. and they will be called out on strike at birmingham airport, cardiff, gatwick, glasgow, heathrow, terminal is two, three, four and five, manchester airport, and the port of newhaven. those border force

officers whose primary duties will be to do passport checks for people arriving in the country, where the union has high levels of density, they will take action entirely over that period. as i said at the beginning, as i will finish with, the action we have called at the moment will be having severe effects on people using our roads and needing driving test and accessing payments and indeed entering the country over the christmas period. the issues over ambulance staff walkouts, comes amid growing concerns over ambulance response times. in one of england's worst performing regions for delays, in the west midlands, there's been a big rise in the number of patients who've died, when emergency crews were late to reach them. here's bbc newsnight�*s david grossman.

ijust assumed, like 90% of other people, that when you ring 999 and you call for an ambulance, that within a few minutes, that one will be with you. when darren childs'12—month—old daughter myla had a seizure and for a time stopped breathing, it took 47 minutes for the ambulance to come. the target for the average response time on such a serious life or death call is seven minutes. it was horrendous. it's every parent's worst nightmare. mercifully, darren's daughter survived, but sadly, many do not. data obtained by newsnight through a freedom of information request paints a worrying picture. in the whole of 2020, west midlands ambulance service had just one patient who was dead by the time the ambulance turned up following a delay. so far this year, up until september, the total is 37. and that is with three

months' data still to come. as we've heard repeatedly, one of the big problems is ambulances being stuck outside hospitals, unable to hand over patients. over a single day, newsnight journalists monitored ambulances at five hospitals covered by west midlands ambulance service to see just how bad the problem is right now. on the day we recorded data, the longest an ambulance had to wait to hand over a patient was; at worcester royal, 21 hours. at princess royal hospital in telford, 19 hours. at alexandra hospital in redditch, 8 hours. at royal stoke, 15 hours. and at royal shrewsbury, more than 20 hours. problems at the ambulance trust go far deeper than just delays. the number of serious incidents defined as an avoidable, serious outcome caused by problems with care has shot up over

400% so far this year, compared with the same period last year. minutes of the ambulance trust board meeting suggests part of the rise in serious incidents is down to mismanagement of things like choking and cardiac arrest. newsnight�*s been told by a senior ambulance trust insider that actually most of these serious incidents have their root cause in the long delays. experienced staff, we were told, are getting fed up of hanging around outside hospitals for an entire shift, so they're leaving theirjobs. and in their place, the new recruits, well, they're hanging around outside hospitals, so they're not getting experience of the range of problems that they're going to have to deal with safely. west midlands ambulance service say they remain confident in the training student paramedics receive, and the vast majority of the rise in serious incidents was down to hand over delays. the department of health and social care said it was taking urgent action to support the ambulance service and staff. childs, darren, is duly elected councillor for the town council. after what happened to his daughter, darren childs won a local council

seat on a pledge to sort out delays. he says, however, problems have got worse. the stories have gone from we waited three, four hours to five, six hours, to eight, nine hours. so now you've got people waiting nine hours for ambulances. i think that the nhs isn't just in crisis any more. i think the nhs is failing and we are losing the nhs, and i think that this winter's pressures are going to be the thing that topples the nhs over. david grossman, bbc news. and, you can see more on that story at 10.30pm, on newsnight, on bbc 2. the government has scrapped a flagship piece of legislation, designed to raise standards of education in england. the schools bill included plans for a register of children who are missing lessons, and for all schools to become part of multi—academy trusts. our education correspondent hazel shearing has more.

the schools bill has faced a lot of hurdles since it was first introduced. we had the schools white paper, a policy document outlining the government's vision back in march. over the some of the schools legislation, the schools bill, which is legislation to implement some of that vision, came up against hurdles in the house of lords where it was criticised as a power grab for some proposals related to academies. it was then rumoured that the schools bill would ultimately be dropped and the education secretary confirmed this was the case when she was speaking to mps earlier this morning. hazel shearing, there. the former health secretary matt hancock is to stand down as a conservative mp at the next general election. he's already had the conservative whip removed after taking part in the reality tv show i'm a celebrity.

he's tweeted, "there was a time when it was thought the only way "to influence the public debate was in parliament, but i've realised "there's more to it than that. "for a healthy democracy we must find new ways to reach people." people are being advised to heat their living rooms during the day, and their bedrooms before going to sleep, after forecasts of much colder weather. health officials issued the advice to people who cannot afford to heat every room in their home. overnight lows of —10c are predicted in northern scotland, with snow and ice warnings there, as well as in wales, northern ireland, and the east coast of england. i'm joined by our weather presenter matt taylor. thanks forjoining us. there's an amber cold weather alert in force. what does it actually mean? it could be worse? , . ., what does it actually mean? it could be worse? , _, , what does it actually mean? it could be worse? , , .,, be worse? yes, it could be worse, this is actually _ be worse? yes, it could be worse, this is actually a _ be worse? yes, it could be worse, this is actually a warning - be worse? yes, it could be worse, this is actually a warning system i be worse? yes, it could be worse, | this is actually a warning system in

conjunction with the met office and the uk health security agency and this is to help health providers plan their services. so when there are signs of cold weather approaching it means they have got to be prepared for potential increasing admissions and for impacts to ambulance services in getting people to and from hospitals. the highest level is red, the level for warning, and that is when we are at a state of national emergency when the especially cold weather is expected —— level banned. it does not look like we will get to that at the moment —— level four. what about the yellow warning scratch mark this is more familiar to the public. —— the yellow warnings? to the public. -- the yellow warnings?— to the public. -- the yellow warninus? ., , ., ., warnings? you can see around the frinues of warnings? you can see around the fringes of the _ warnings? you can see around the fringes of the uk _ warnings? you can see around the fringes of the uk we _ warnings? you can see around the fringes of the uk we have - warnings? you can see around the fringes of the uk we have got i warnings? you can see around the i fringes of the uk we have got shout around so you get the wet surfaces and temperatures cold by night. northern scotland already has snow falling and we could have up to ten centimetres of snow there but for most of the populated areas is about

the plummeting temperatures. ii'iin�*n�* the plummeting temperatures. how cold could it — the plummeting temperatures. how cold could it get? is it unusual for cold could it get? is it unusualfor december? it cold could it get? is it unusual for december?_ cold could it get? is it unusual for december? , �* , ., december? it isn't, it is winter and we have had _ december? it isn't, it is winter and we have had it _ december? it isn't, it is winter and we have had it far— december? it isn't, it is winter and we have had it far worse, - december? it isn't, it is winter and we have had it far worse, and i december? it isn't, it is winter and we have had it far worse, and this | we have had it far worse, and this is the coldest ever december night, in 1995. forthe is the coldest ever december night, in 1995. for the rest of the week we are talking lows of around —10 in some rural areas so no where near that but in the wider context of what we have had this year, it has been incredibly warm, the third warmest autumn on record and this comes as a shock to the system, especially when you factor in the rising energy costs, the fact we are watching our pockets and this will have an impact on that. itruihat watching our pockets and this will have an impact on that. what about the rest of the _ have an impact on that. what about the rest of the world? _ have an impact on that. what about the rest of the world? and - have an impact on that. what about the rest of the world? and the i have an impact on that. what about the rest of the world? and the rest| the rest of the world? and the rest of christ the few and the rest of europe? snow has been falling _ and the rest of europe? snow has been falling extensively _ and the rest of europe? snow has been falling extensively in - and the rest of europe? snow has been falling extensively in parts i and the rest of europe? snow has| been falling extensively in parts of central europe at the moment and the blue colours show where temperatures

are below average and because we have got stuck weather patterns in the northern hemisphere at the moment, the cold air is engaged and stuck over much of central and northern europe and through parts of canada and into the us, we have some exceptionally cold weather. but it balances out, in that whilst one area is getting cold, others are getting warmer, in eastern us and into greenland we have unusually warm weather and in an ascot they had their warmest ever december day yesterday. —— and in alaska they had. yesterday. -- and in alaska they had. ., ., , , had. how long is the cold snap likel to had. how long is the cold snap likely to last — had. how long is the cold snap likely to last much, _ had. how long is the cold snap likely to last much, much i had. how long is the cold snap likely to last much, much it. had. how long is the cold snap likely to last much, much it is| likely to last much, much it is getting colder and will go all the way to the start of next week. iii way to the start of next week. if you break stem from the south next week there's the potential for snow but is a long way off at the moment. the cold is the main issue. tao the cold is the main issue. too earl to the cold is the main issue. too early to say _ the cold is the main issue. too early to say if— the cold is the main issue. too early to say if it _ the cold is the main issue. too early to say if it is _ the cold is the main issue. too early to say if it is a _ the cold is the main issue. too early to say if it is a white christmas? i early to say if it is a white christmas?— early to say if it is a white christmas? , ., ., �* ., christmas? i will tell you on boxing da !

christmas? i will tell you on boxing day! thanks _ christmas? i will tell you on boxing day! thanks for _ joining us. the headlines on bbc news... border force staff are to go on strike at airports across the country over christmas — civil service union leaders claim they've been given little choice. meanwhile — downing street says the government is considering new measures to curb disruption caused by strikes — as nhs staff are told there will be no increased pay offer to prevent industrial action. heat living rooms during the day — and bedrooms before going to sleep — that's the advice from health officials as a cold spell hits the uk. dozens of people have been arrested in germany, on suspicion of being involved in a plot, to overthrow the government. federal prosecutors say 3,000 officers raided several properties across the country, including an army barracks. the suspects are alleged to be part of a far—right group that planned to storm the german parliament. with the latest, here's damian mcguinness in berlin.

this 71—year—old aristocrat, prince heinrich the 13th, was allegedly the ringleader of a far right plot to overthrow the german state and establish himself as monarch. this might sound far—fetched but it has sparked the largest anti—terror operation modern germany has ever seen. in raids across the country, 3,000 officers have arrested dozens of people, including former soldiers accused of going into barracks to recruit army staff, and an ex member of parliament, who until she was arrested, was working as a judge in berlin. the plan was to attack energy infrastructure, spark a civil war, and so overthrow the government. these people are known as the reichsburger, or citizens of the empire, in english. they are conspiracy theorists who don't believe in the legitimacy of the modern german state.

they claim it is occupied by the us, and want to set up a nation modelled on the german empire before world war i. outlandish ideas, but dangerous. translation: it should concern us lthat these people are not stupid. l they are educated people with experience in life. they have access to arms and to information and to important people. this combination makes it particularly threatening and remarkable. this movement has been active since the 1980s, but during the pandemic gained momentum, boosted by anti—vaccine covid deniers and conspiracy theorists, inspired by america's qanon. even trying to storm the german parliament in 2020. experts say this latest plot is unlikely to have worked. the movement is small and very fringe, but it is also potentially violent with access to military training and weapons. that's why germany takes this so seriously. damien mcguinness, bbc news, berlin. i'm joined now by our security

correspondent frank gardner. give us a bit more about the background of this, as it come out of nowhere?— of nowhere? no, it hasn't. the reichsburger— of nowhere? no, it hasn't. the reichsburger group _ of nowhere? no, it hasn't. the reichsburger group which - of nowhere? no, it hasn't. the reichsburger group which is i of nowhere? no, it hasn't. the | reichsburger group which is the largest group, the members of this outfit belong to, they have been on the radar since 2016 and especially since april this year, and there was a failed plot by far right extremists in germany in april to kidnap the health minister although it did not come to anything, but it is part of covid denial and anti—vax and conspiracy theorists linked to various groups, so what you have got is a really toxic mix of disinformation, conspiracy theorists, an aristocrat with access to good contacts and money, and you also have some limited infiltration of the police and military. germany has got a problem in that it probably has a bigger far right

extremism problem than most other countries in europe.— countries in europe. could it happen here? how concerned _ countries in europe. could it happen here? how concerned are _ countries in europe. could it happen here? how concerned are the - here? how concerned are the authorities about far right extremism in the uk? they are concerned _ extremism in the uk? they are concerned but _ extremism in the uk? they are concerned but there _ extremism in the uk? they are concerned but there is - extremism in the uk? they are concerned but there is nothing | extremism in the uk? they are . concerned but there is nothing like the extent of this particular plot. this plot in germany involved 3000 police officers to close it down in ii police officers to close it down in 11 states of germany, 131 rates, it was huge. in the uk, to give you an idea, there have been 37 late stage plots, terrorist plots thwarted in the last five years by the police and mi5, and of those roughly one third are far right extremists, and that can range from anything from somebody looking to damage somebody�*s vehicle to something really big and ambitious. but it is a problem and it takes up about 20, 20 5% of the caseload of investigative officers in counterterrorism —— 25%. it is a growing problem, and not as big as

thejihadist threat growing problem, and not as big as the jihadist threat which still remains, but it is out there. and it is fuelled by disinformation and conspiracy theories.— conspiracy theories. online disinformation? _ conspiracy theories. online disinformation? yes. - conspiracy theories. online disinformation? yes. very| conspiracy theories. online - disinformation? yes. very much. a lot of the extremist, _ disinformation? yes. very much. a lot of the extremist, especially - lot of the extremist, especially during lockdown and the months afterwards, they have moved their activities online which is where it can spread like a virus. people will often believe what they want to believe. the difference in germany which has made this plot so dangerous is that they started to get access to weapons and they were looking to do something really violent and it would not have worked but some people would have been hurt and possibly killed if the plot had not been stopped.— and possibly killed if the plot had not been stopped. frankly, really aood to not been stopped. frankly, really good to talk _ not been stopped. frankly, really good to talk to, _ not been stopped. frankly, really good to talk to, thanks _ not been stopped. frankly, really good to talk to, thanks for - not been stopped. frankly, really| good to talk to, thanks forjoining us. —— frank. the government has announced a new compensation scheme for postmasters who were among the first to take legal action against the post office over the horizon it scandal. the scheme will enable postmasters to claim legal fees and to receive similar compensation to their peers. the post office it scandal

was the uk's most widespread miscarriage ofjustice — the prosecution of postmasters was based on flawed information from the horizon computer system. earlier i spoke to the chief executive of the national federation of sub postmasters, calum greenhow who welcomed the move. but it is always the fact that the devil is in the detail so we need to know exactly how much compensation is going to be available and how we can access this as well. we still have a wee bit to go before the details come out but it is a step in the right direction. i was going to ask you about that. i know you cannot give more detail but do you have a wider sense of how the scheme is going to work? my understanding is that from april next year people will be able to apply for additional compensation and this is for a group

of people, 555, who took the post office to court in september 2018 with the rulings coming down in march of 2019, they received £50.5 million in compensation but a significant part of that conversation was taken up in legal fees. as a result they never really got the compensation they fully deserved. what this scheme, from what we can initially see, it looks as if it will enable them to get more compensation certainly so they cover some of the consequential losses they have incurred over the years. can money ever really compensate for what these people have been through? very good question. not an easy answer to give. at the end of the day what we have to understand is exactly what they went through. we have been running our post office here in west linton for the last 27 years and we are very much involved in the community.

if we had been accused of stealing money which a lot of my former colleagues were, the devastation that would have on us personally, we would have to move home, and having to live all these years with the thought that our community, friends and family, thought we were a thief, that is a very hard thing to overcome and a very hard thing to deal with. some of these individuals, whether they were postmasters or assistants, orjust employees, they ended up injail. how can you properly compensate for everything they have experienced ? but if at least they could have their reputations restored and at least if they can have their losses refunded then at least hopefully they can rebuild their lives and get on with their lives, that's the most important thing. at least we can give them that. you are the chief executive officer of the national federation of sub—postmasters, do you think that organisation could have been more supportive of the people who were going through this?

a good question. we were not the only organisation involved. there were a number of representative bodies involved and we all have to take a collective look at ourselves to see if we could have done more. one of the interesting aspects to come out of the inquiry that is going on recently is just how high up within government circles and within the civil service and within the post office, it was actually known. but what has not come out is whether the nfsp, or the communication workers union or the cma, exactly how much they knew and whether they knew it was false and it was actually being used to prosecute people. it is a difficult thing and that is something the inquiry is investigating and certainly someone who has used the horizon system all the way through,

and has been at risk as anyone, i want to know exactly what went on and what could have been done to prevent it. i'm really looking to the inquiry to answer that question. two men have been arrested after a second burglary in the village where england footballer raheem sterling lives. surrey police are investigating whether there's a link between the incident in oxshott and the raid on the chelsea winger�*s home at the weekend. he flew back from the world cup in qatar on monday to be with his family. a 28—year—old man has been charged with a public order offence after an egg was allegedly thrown at the king during a walkabout. these pictures were filmed immediately after the incident outside luton town hall yestwerday.

bedfordshire police have not named the suspect. in a statement they said he'd been charged under section five of the public order act and he's been bailed to appear at luton magistrates' court on the 9th of january. now it's time for a look at the weather with louise. you weather will be dominated by the cold over the next few days and there's the potential for some snow showers. this one is being driven along by a brisk northerly wind, the air source along by a brisk northerly wind, the airsource coming along by a brisk northerly wind, the air source coming from the arctic so air source coming from the arctic so a cold afternoon here. some showers with a bit of a wintry flavour maybe along the east coast, showers primarily of rain through the irish sea, just impact in wales and south—west england, and some sunshine inland but a cold afternoon despite the sunshine around. factor in the direction of the wind and feeling noticeably colder for everyone. the wind and feeling noticeably colderfor everyone. as the wind and feeling noticeably colder for everyone. as we go through the evening hours, the showers are likely to continue in the north, any of the sticky out bits, the east and west facing coast, at risk of further showers, and maybe some ice first thing in

the morning. italy told the start of thursday as well, and the cold is set to begin —— bitterly cold start on thursday. we will have further snow showers to come for some.

hello, this is bbc news. the headlines. border force staff are to go on strike at several airports over christmas — civil service union leaders claim they've been given little choice we, like nurses and teachers and paramedics and other people in the public sector, have no option other than to take industrial action because our members currently are skipping meals, not being able to put the heating on at home because of the poverty they are living in. meanwhile, downing street says the government is considering new measures to curb disruption caused by strikes — as nhs staff are told there will be no increased pay offer to prevent industrial action.

heat living rooms during the day and bedrooms before going to sleep. that's the advice from health officials as a cold spell hits the uk. 25 people have been arrested in raids across germany on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. days after returning to the commons from the celebrityjungle, matt hancock announces he'll step down as an mp at the next general election. a once—in—a decade un conference on biodiversity begins today in canada, amid warnings humans are driving mass species extinction. sport now, and for a full round—up from the bbc sport centre. england's kyle walker has been speaking to the media ahead of their quarter final match against france on saturday. unsurprisingly, he was asked several times how he planned to stop —

arguably one of the best players in the tournament, kylian mbappe. olly foster is live for us in doha. olly, what did walker say in reponse to that burning question? well, he was talking as if he is going to start against the french on saturday night in the quarterfinal, so he's let the cat out of the bag and that one because england have obviously got a couple of right—sided options to come up against gillian mbappe, the french superstar who has scored five goals at this world cup in four matches, two against the polls in which he gave matty cash of aston villa, the polish right back all sorts of bother. kyle walker was so that he expects to face mbappe e.0n has faced it before with manchester city when they come up against psg in the champions league and is ready for whatever mbappe we can bring to the

party. i understand what i need to do and that is obviously to stop him. it's probably easier said than done but i don't underestimate myself and as we've said there, i've played him before, and i've come up against a lot of great players in my time playing for england and also manchester city and the clubs i've played for. so i treat it as another game and i take extra care and give him the respect he deserves but not too much respect because he's also playing england and we can cause them problems. ok, it's going to be a tough game, but not one player makes a team. england were training earlier today with walker with them but there was not a full england squad. why not? no, it has imperfect. we know ben white in raheem sterling are not in the country because they have returned to the uk for personal reasons but you expect 2a, and just

the 22 and callum wilson is still nursing a minor muscle strain, the forward, but perhaps of more concern is declan rice was not out there training and has been such an important part of the gareth southgate starting xi in the holding midfield role alongsidejude bellingham, allowing him to make the run forward but we have been told that he is ill and we are on wednesday and have three days to better but we hope that that illness is not too serious and its just him feeling unwell and he will soon be back on the pitch because certainly england will not want to have any excuses and they will want to field their strongest ii excuses and they will want to field their strongest 11 against the french and declan rice is very much a part of that. maia bouchier will fly out to the west indies to replace alice capsey

in england women's t20 squad. it's after capsey broke her collarbone fielding. england women thrashed the west indies by 142 runs in the second one day international in antigua. chasing 261, the hosts were bowled out for 118 in a one sided encounter with england taking a 2—0 lead in the three match series. alice davidson—richards has also been added to the t20 squad. the final odi takes place on friday. the lawn tennis association has been fined £820,000 by the atp for banning russian and belarusian male players from this summer's grass—court events. the ban was imposed in reaction to russia's invasion of ukraine. the governing body has also been warned it could lose its atp membership if a similar decision is made next year. the lta says it is "deeply disappointed" and has accused the atp of showing a "surprising lack of empathy for the situation in ukraine."

that's all the sport for now. politicians in northern ireland have briefly returned to the stormont assembly — but there's still no progress on the political deadlock, which has meant there's been no fully functioning devolved government for months. chris page has the latest. what was a very familiar opening scene, the screenplay predictable but there was no unexpected twist at the end. this is the fifth time that members of the stormont assembly have been back sitting on their benches since an election in may, but as has happened previously there were not able to elect a speaker and the democratic unionist party vetoed the democratic unionist party vetoed the election of a speaker and therefore it meant after about a couple of hours of political tent

pitching and points being scored, the formalities were concluded and there was no further business that could be conducted. the recall brought about by sinn fein, now the largest party in the assembly, they put down a motion to be debated saying the democratic unionist party should lift the veto on the restoration of the power—sharing of the devolved government so local ministers could be appointed to tackle the cost of living but the dup said it was sticking to the position that the assembly and the stormont executive could not be restored until the brexit trade border known as the northern ireland protocol is removed, so lots of speeches, passionate, angry even, some tetchy exchanges but ultimately northern ireland politics still in the same position in the start of

the same position in the start of the business at noon, and that's no assembly, no devolved government and it's been that way for six months and there's been no fully functioning devolved government for about ten months. 50. functioning devolved government for about ten months.— about ten months. so, no fully functioning _ about ten months. so, no fully functioning devolved _ about ten months. so, no fully i functioning devolved government about ten months. so, no fully - functioning devolved government for ten months, so to what extent in life in northern ireland carrying on as normal though? fin life in northern ireland carrying on as normal though?— life in northern ireland carrying on as normal though? on one level the liuhts are as normal though? on one level the lights are still— as normal though? on one level the lights are still on _ as normal though? on one level the lights are still on and _ as normal though? on one level the lights are still on and children - as normal though? on one level the lights are still on and children are i lights are still on and children are still going to school and hospitals are still operating but if you speak to anybody in the public services in particular they will say the longer this goes on the more difficulties they will notice springing up and they will notice springing up and they will notice springing up and they will say it was the same the last time the assembly was there, that was when sinn fein resigned from the government, so things are happening and the budget has been put in place the northern ireland and the stormont assembly has not been able to pass on because of the political deadlock and so schools,

for example as a result of the budgets are going to have to experience some funding cuts and also the health services in something of a crisis. northern ireland has the longest hospital waiting times in the uk and there are the economic issues, not least the rising cost of living, so the fact that there are not local ministers to make decisions in belfast on these matters, certainly many people in northern ireland would say that public services are slowly decaying and key reforms that really need to happen in northern ireland are not happening. let's speak to jonathan tonge, professor of politics at the university of liverpool and a specialist on the situation in northern ireland. we will pick up on some of the points that chris page was making in due course, but i want to start by asking you, what is the way out of all of this in your view. it’s

all of this in your view. it's difficult — all of this in your view. it's difficult to _ all of this in your view. it's difficult to see _ all of this in your view. it's difficult to see a _ all of this in your view. it's difficult to see a way - all of this in your view. it�*s difficult to see a way out because the dup are insisting they would only go back to the political institutions in northern ireland when the eu protocol, that trade border between great britain and northern ireland is either removed orfundamentally northern ireland is either removed or fundamentally reform. the northern ireland is either removed orfundamentally reform. the dup made the position clear before the assembly last year and they've stuck to their position in northern ireland goes into another christmas without a government. no prospect whatsoever of political institutions being restored any time soon and an increasing sense of frustration from the dup opponents in the northern ireland assembly but also an increasing sense of exasperation from the british government who hope that by classic —— passing the northern ireland protocol villa westminster than displays the protocol that will be sufficient to get the dup back into government no sign of that whatsoever.— sign of that whatsoever. would it make any difference _ sign of that whatsoever. would it make any difference if— sign of that whatsoever. would it make any difference if there - sign of that whatsoever. would it make any difference if there was | make any difference if there was another election in northern ireland. pm

another election in northern ireland. �* . ., another election in northern ireland. . ., ., another election in northern ireland. �* . ., ., .,~ ireland. an election and robbie make thins ireland. an election and robbie make things worse — ireland. an election and robbie make things worse because _ ireland. an election and robbie make things worse because the _ ireland. an election and robbie make things worse because the secretary . things worse because the secretary of state was legally obliged to call an election after the parties were unable to form a government after the last election were given 2a weeks to form a new government and could not do so. an election would further polarise northern ireland and sinn fein would emerge as the largest party and the dup with the largest party and the dup with the largest party and the dup with the largest party of unionism and the impasse would remain. and the political movement from the ee —— dup has to soften the approach we had to the good friday agreement without the political institutions created by the agreement in place. it's been good as a peace deal with thousands of people alive today if it wasn't for the piece aspect, but in terms of producing stable political institutions it hasn't worked. if you look at the last five years the executive have been

missing for 90% of the time which is worse in the first five years after the good friday agreement when they were missing for 49%, so in some ways the politics of northern ireland have actually been less stable in recent years than when northern ireland was coming out of conflict. . �* , . , conflict. that's an interesting thou . ht. conflict. that's an interesting thought- as _ conflict. that's an interesting thought. as chris _ conflict. that's an interesting thought. as chris page - conflict. that's an interesting thought. as chris page was l conflict. that's an interesting - thought. as chris page was saying, the lights and children are going to school and you can still go to a hospital so if there are no ministers, who is actually making the day to day decisions that enables northern ireland to continue to function? {infill enables northern ireland to continue to function? , ., , to function? civil servants. ifi was a civil— to function? civil servants. ifi was a civil servant _ to function? civil servants. ifi was a civil servant in - was a civil servant in northern ireland i would want a double salary because they are doing the work politician should be doing in the secretary of state has cut the salaries pass legislation to cut the size of assembly members, all members, notjust those who won't enter the institution by 27% but is in effect the decision—making has to be taken by civil servants so there is no democratic model of accountability but the british government doesn't want the institutions to collapse. the last thing the british government once

with all the other things on its plate is to have direct rule over northern ireland from westminster, so therefore, there is still devolved government of some form in northern ireland but is not elected devolved government comments devolved government comments devolved government comments devolved government with the work undertaken by the northern ireland civil service and that's a very unsatisfactory situation and there are limits to the decisions that civil servants can take and that's why basically northern ireland is in limbo land with key decisions being shelved and therefore we have decisions, for example, the energy payments made to help alleviate bills on the side of the irish sea have not been made in northern ireland. �* , ., ., , ireland. and i 'ust wanted to pick u . ireland. and i 'ust wanted to pick u- on ireland. and i 'ust wanted to pick up on that — ireland. and i 'ust wanted to pick up on that as — ireland. and i just wanted to pick no on that as a — ireland. and i just wanted to pick up on that as a final— ireland. and i just wanted to pick up on that as a final thought. - ireland. and i just wanted to pick i up on that as a final thought. what are the key decisions are not being made? . , ., , ., ., ., made? there decisions that are not beint made? there decisions that are not being made- _ made? there decisions that are not being made. the _ made? there decisions that are not being made. the nhs _ made? there decisions that are not being made. the nhs has - made? there decisions that are not being made. the nhs has been - made? there decisions that are not being made. the nhs has been in l being made. the nhs has been in crisis in northern ireland even before the pandemic because the institutions collapse between 2017 and 2019 so key decisions for the nhs have been shelved and you have

the energy crisis where a household in northern ireland is still waiting to wait for £600 of payments to be made and the position is we will try to get some payments to you by january. everything is basically on hold in terms of serious decision—making on the situation is if anything deteriorating rather than improving.— if anything deteriorating rather than improving. if anything deteriorating rather thanim-trovin. ., ., than improving. really good to have our than improving. really good to have your thoughts _ than improving. really good to have your thoughts and _ than improving. really good to have your thoughts and many _ than improving. really good to have your thoughts and many thought -- | your thoughts and many thought —— thanks forjoining us. a once—in—a decade un conference on biodiversity begins today in canada, amid warnings humans are driving mass extinction of life on earth, with a million species at risk of being wiped out. the uk is among a number of countries pushing for an ambitious deal, to protect the planet's ecosystems, but, as one of the most nature—depleted countries in the world, britain's own record, is now under scrutiny. our environment correspondent, helen briggs, has more, from somerset. a great egret making the most of a winter wonderland at wetlands on the somerset levels. in winter, generally on wetlands

and in estuaries, you get larger congregations of birds. as governments meet to agree tough new targets for protecting life on earth, conservation charities are calling for urgent action to restore nature. we are in a major extinction event. we've not seen species become extinct at the current rates as they are now, since the dinosaurs. so a million species, one in five species are at risk of extinction. so we need to halt that decline by the end of 2030 and need to be actually recovering nature by that point. born out of an industrial past, this reserve shows how, with a bit of help, nature can heal itself. so 25 years ago, this was an industrial landscape where they dug peat out of the ground. now it's precious wetlands full of wild birds. all different types of species come here to feed. but wildlife groups say while the uk's pushing for ambitious targets in montreal, it's not doing enough domestically.

so the government has led a really good level of ambition coming into montreal, particularly looking at 30% of land and sea protected by 2030. and that's essential if we're going to reverse nature's catastrophic decline. but fundamentally the uk government needs to be delivering on that here as well, at home. and we're not yet seeing that. only 3% of the land and 8% of our seas are effectively protected. the government says nature plays a crucial role in all our lives and it's working with other countries to put the natural world back on the road to recovery. these salt marshes on the somerset coast are another example of how a nature—depleted world can be turned around. old farmland has been flooded to provide space for nature. what we can learn from what we've been doing here at the marshes, by restoring wetlands on this sort of scale, is that we know that the wildlife is coming here and it's supporting biodiversity, but we're helping. there's a health and wellbeing benefits to people. carbon storage properties.

they are vital for our fight against climate change. so the time to act is now. places like this offer a glimpse of a more nature friendly future, but scaling it up will be a massive challenge. helen briggs, bbc news, somerset. border force staff are to go on strike at several airports over christmas — civil service union leaders claim they've been given little choice meanwhile, downing street says the government is considering new measures to curb disruption caused by strikes — as nhs staff are told there will be no increased pay offer to prevent industrial action. heat living rooms during the day and bedrooms before going to sleep. that's the advice from health officials as a cold spell hits the uk.

as part of the bbc�*s 100 women season, we analysed ten years of data on human emotions from the gallup world poll, a survey of more than 120,000 people and found that, while negative emotions are trending upwards for everyone, it is even more pronounced for women — especially when it comes to anger. stephanie hegarty reports. screaming around the world, women are getting angry. that's according to analysis by the bbc of ten years of polling, in more than 150 countries, by gallup. the poll asked people if they'd experienced various emotions during a lot of the previous day, and on anger in 2012, women and men answered roughly the same. but nine years later, women were angrier than men. i'm a mum of two young kids, who is working from home. in the middle of the pandemic, sarah harman got a group

of mothers together to go to a field and scream, and it went viral. there was just this intense, like, low—grade frustration that was building, anger that ultimately built to, like, complete rage. so when a woman is angry, she's crazy or she's being irrational. we tend to have to be more put together. otherwise, there can be consequences. this scream came up out of my body. tasha and jacqueline run a programme called sacred rage therapy, where they get women from all over the world together to talk about everything that makes them angry. then, they scream. by the time the scream part comes up in that, these women are screaming anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes straight. that's on average. anger facilitates a tremendous amount of change. _ it facilitates power. so this, i think it's- like a systematic repression of sorts, so that women don't

get to wield that weapon. - globally, in 2021, more women reported feeling angry than men. the gap was six percentage points. but in some places — like india, cambodia, pakistan, laos and morocco — the difference was even more stark. in india, it was 12%. and you see the 2,000 people coming out of the office. you find the men relaxed, going to a teashop, having a stroll, chitchatting and all that, whereas you find the women hurrying to the bus station or train station, thinking about what to cook. more and more women are getting educated and employed and having an economic independence, so the dissidence and having an economic independence, so the dissonance between a patriarchal system at home and an emancipated woman outside of home causes a lot of anger. but maybe all this rage

isn't such a bad thing. the women are just like, they've been able to say "no more", in a way that's actually facilitating change, and they're using theirangerto do it. stephanie hegarty, bbc news. new figures from the nhs, suggest black people are now almost five times more likely to be detained under the mental health act than white people. the government says it's committed to addressing racial disparities within mental health services, but a suicide survivor who now works as a mental health advocate has told the bbc there are systemic issues with racism. emma glasbey reports from sheffield. the scary part is how well i hid it. a lot of the people i know had no idea because i alwaysjust hid it, that's the terrifying part. gambinga was in his 20s when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and in his 30s try to take his own life.

i never asked for help, i had to take the help because it was forced on me. i was in crisis, i was there for my own protection so it was forced on me but as it went on, i realised that i really needed to help. after his own breakdown, gambinga says he knows many people are not asking for help, in particular black men. first and second generation immigrants, especially from africa, we are spectacular at hiding it. it's culture, it's upbringing. that whole "man up". the journey for black people and, to a lesser extent, other minority groups, for men especially, is that you end up in mental health services via the police.

last year, the rate of white people being sectioned was 72 per 100,000 of the population last year, for black people, the rate was 3112 per 100,000 meaning black people were almost five times more likely to be detained than white people. in sheffield, they are trying to ensure mental health services understand cultural differences. gambinga now works for sheffield's african caribbean mental health association. one of the most common things we end up helping with his advocacy around racism within the system. it's less now out and out name—calling or withholding services because you are black, i think a lot more now it is micro—aggression or systemic issues that mean black and ethnic minority people have a rougher ride

within the system than white people. for years, the issue of why a disproportionate number of black people end up in mental health crises has not been successfully tackled. the government says it is committed to reforming the mental health act to address this. when the film, avatar, was released in 2009, it became the highest grossing in cinema history, and the hollywood studio that made it, promised a sequel five years later. well last night, eight years late,"avatar — the way of water," had its world premiere in london and our entertainment correspondent, lizo mzimba, was there. a high flying first movie is the biggest film of all time, and fans have been waiting 13 years for this sequel. james cameron wants this to be the first of four new, hugely expensive instalments in the series. so this film really does need to be a huge smash to justify avatars 3, 4,

and particularly avatar 5. i've always been nervous every time before we put a movie out into the marketplace, and this is a particularly fraught time because after the pandemic, you know, the market has contracted somewhat, but we just have to see what happens. the original film was applauded for its spectacular 3d imagery. this is our home! the cast want the emotion to bejust as important as the spectacle of the movie. the movie is about protecting what you love. in this case it's protecting your family. we can all relate to that. and, you know, that's very important. you know, that connectivity and taking what you care about and protecting it at all costs. you know, it's all about the emotion. the experience of the film is completely emotional. and all the battles and all the flights and all of that is also absolutely amazing. but the heart of it is emotion.

joining the cast for this film is kate winslet, as a character whose tribe has a close relationship with the ocean. the last time she worked with james cameron also involved rather a lot of water! it was really different. because i think titanic, you know, it's such a long time ago. people keep talking about the 25th anniversary. hang on. sorry. yes. hi. people shouting! it's actually, for us, nearly 27 years since we were filming. so it's over half of my lifetime. just a totally, totally different atmosphere and energy on avatar. you know, it's reallyjim's baby. obviously coming back to it for the second time. of course, it's notjust the studio that financed this that will be keeping its fingers crossed. the film industry still hasn't fully recovered from covid, and hollywood will be keeping a close eye on a film that has the potential to do something that neither spider—man, no way home nor top gun maverick managed.

and that is become the first multibillion dollar blockbuster since the pandemic. liso mzimba, bbc news at the avatar 2 premiere. clive will be here at five per let's catch up with the news on the weather. ., .. catch up with the news on the weather. ., ~ ., . ., weather. talking about the coal at the moment _ weather. talking about the coal at the moment and _ weather. talking about the coal at the moment and it's _ weather. talking about the coal at the moment and it's going - weather. talking about the coal at the moment and it's going to - weather. talking about the coal at the moment and it's going to get l the moment and it's going to get colder as we get into the weekend and it today it's been cold enough for snow showers in the higher north of scotland and this was hyland earlier on but for many, further inland, we had blue sky and sunshine and yes it's been a cold day but also a glorious one and you can see from the satellite picture just how much sunshine we have got inland and that's because the northerly wind is driving and cloud on exposed coasts and some of the showers have been wintry, chiefly to the far north, so it means there is a very low chance of seeing some snow across central

and southern parts of england along the exposed coasts and we will keep the exposed coasts and we will keep the showers and may be ice risk as well with more significant snow showers potentially in the far north of scotland and accumulations of snow will start to gather in the next couple of days. in actual fact is we go through the evening and overnight we continue to see further snow showers in the north of scotland and may be anywhere along the sticky out bits, the coastal areas and further inland we keep clear skies and the temperatures are likely to fall away and in fact in towns and city centres it will be down to —a —5, so cold are still in rural areas. you could see a line of more organised showers drifting across aberdeenshire into the north yorkshire moors by the middle part of thursday afternoon and anywhere we get some showers there is a risk of icy stretches and more snow and ice continuing into the far north—west but look at the temperature is common only between two and 4 degrees and where we have the brisk wind coming through the north and east it will feel colder

still so temperatures really, really struggling. as we move out of thursday and friday, is there going to be that much of a significant change, not really. a weather front enhancing the risk of showers as we go overnight and into the start of friday and they might be lingering across east anglia in south—east england but behind it some sunshine coming through and again the risk of further showers on those exposed to north coast in scotland and again the temperatures down and where they should be for the time of year will stop its going to get colder still and with lighter winds, freezing fog could be an issue as we head into the weekend but whatever you are doing, make sure you wrap up warm.

this is bbc news. the headlines... border force staff are to go on strike at several airports over christmas. civil service union leaders claim they've been given little choice. we, they've been given little choice. like nurses and te. paramedics, we, like nurses and teachers and paramedics, and other people in the public sector, have no option other than to take industrial action because abbott members currently are skipping meals and not able to put their heating on a home because of their heating on a home because of the poverty they are living in. meawhile, downing street says the government is considering new measures to curb disruption caused by strikes as nhs staff are told there will be no increased pay offer to prevent industrial action. 25 people have been arrested in raids across germany on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. heat living rooms during the day and bedrooms before going to sleep —