a negative result. some in business and the travel industry are concerned. the head of mi6 wants more co—operation with tech companies, to counter rising cyber threats. five days after storm arwen, tens of thousands are still without power. good afternoon. borisjohnson has called on people to support new coronavirus—control measures in england, to �*buy time�* in the face of the omicron variant. the new rules affect international travellers, shoppers and commuters. they come as the number of cases linked to the variant, continues to grow. ministers have announced a big expansion of the booster jab programme. face coverings are now mandatory on public transport and in shops in england. they already mandatory of causing other parts of the uk. and people arriving in the uk must take a pcr test and isolate until they get a negative result. borisjohnson is expected to set out the new plans for the booster programme in england, at a briefing later this afternoon. here's our health correspondent, dominic hughes. once again, shoppers in england have to get used to compulsively face coverings. the new regulations cover post offices, banks, hairdressers, takeaways and public transport. some people are exempt from wearing a mask for health reasons but at waterloo station in london not everyone was on board. i am going out every weekend to the clubs, you can still do that but you have to wear a mask a club, it makes no sense. an overreaction, it does not make anyone safer. the mayor of london was clear that rules for public transport would be enforced. i hope there is no reason to ask anybody to leave or refuse entry but if people, having been asked to wear a face —— mask that do not and stay on public transport, they will be fined. the regulations bring england more into line with the rest of the uk. masks are required in pubs and restaurants in scotland and northern ireland. there are concerns about how shop staff will cope when faced with people who still refuse to wear a mask. the government must help businesses like iceland to enforce mask wearing if that is what they need. we spend millions on security each year but the scale of this issue is such that we cannot police everything every hour of everyday. perhaps the biggest changes announced in the last 2a others are the modifications to the booster programme, slashing the gap between second jab and booster from six months to three and opening up boosters to all those over 18. it will be a significant test for the nhs in the months to come. the two challenges will be the logistics of delivering so much vaccine in a very short time and, of course, it is important people come forward and receive the jabs in good time so we can build up the extra immunity we need to be sure we are protected against a new variant. so a challenging month ahead for the nhs. some reports had surfaced of problems with the online booking system for the booster programme, ministers had suggested a target of 3.5 millionjabs per week but at a gp surgery this morning the prime minister said much was still uncertain about the new variants. while there is doubt about what exactly the variant can do, what we do know is that the boosters can give a lot of protection against all types of the virus and we think that is overwhelmingly likely at any rate, so the crucial thing is that everybody now comes out and gets boosters. ramping up the booster programme will be a challenge for a health service already busy, but it is clear there is real concern about the potential threat posed by the omicron variant. dominic hughes, bbc news. in the next couple of minutes i would speak to a gp about the booster programme and how that is being managed and how it can be managed. let's talk to our political correspondent, chris mason, who's in westminster. we are waiting for a news briefing in a couple of hours�*s time. it will be interesting to hear what more borisjohnson be interesting to hear what more boris johnson say. be interesting to hear what more boris johnson say.— boris johnson say. what will be really interesting _ boris johnson say. what will be really interesting is _ boris johnson say. what will be really interesting is the - boris johnson say. what will be really interesting is the tone i boris johnson say. what will be really interesting is the tone is| really interesting is the tone is struck by borisjohnson. yes, there will be attempts no doubt to address the logistical issues that i know you will be talking about in a few moments and dominic was reflecting on in his report there about ramping up on in his report there about ramping up of the booster programme. but there is a broader public message that will be fascinating hear. precisely how does the prime minister calibrate it? so he has said at lunchtime today, you saw it there in dominic's report, that he doesn't think that we should, in england, be changing our behaviour beyond the stipulation that has changed around mask wearing on public transport and in shops. and thatis public transport and in shops. and that is in stark contrast to what we had this morning from uk security agency. she was on the's today programme today and she said we should think about minimising our socialising. in the last hour the debate in the commenters got under way about these changing regulations in england. to the irritation of some conservative mps who think that is gone through after the change in the law. several conservative mps said hang on a minute, what is the policy here? is it what the adviser out and about speaking this morning was saying? or is it what ministers are saying? and downing street has been forced to say that the doctor is an adviser. she devises the limerick advises, she doesn't decide. . , ., , ., decide. thanks, chris. that is our olitical decide. thanks, chris. that is our political correspondent _ decide. thanks, chris. that is our political correspondent chris - decide. thanks, chris. that is our l political correspondent chris mason keeping an eye on all of that and building up to the news conference at the opm of course. let's speak to dr gary howsam, vice chair of the royal college of gp�*s, and a gp partner in peterborough. good afternoon. good afternoon. first off, in terms of the booster situation and flu jabs of course as well, what are your reception is telling about how many calls they're taking, how it is working? i telling about how many calls they're taking, how it is working?— taking, how it is working? ithink we are at a— taking, how it is working? ithink we are at a stage _ taking, how it is working? ithink we are at a stage at _ taking, how it is working? ithink we are at a stage at the - taking, how it is working? ithink we are at a stage at the momenti we are at a stage at the moment where we had the guide and come out yesterday but we are still waiting for the finer details of how we are actually going to operationalise this. and whilst it is fair to say that people will officially be concerned about the presence of a new variant, we think that it is a sensible step to be promoting the booster campaign. just because that we know that once we waiting for the science to catch up and tell us how severe and transmissible this new variant is, we need to be doing all we can to keep ourselves a population say. so it is still very early days as to how we rush are going to do this but there are concerns about how we're going to build to manage this alongside our normal work as gps, which is actually crucial to the patients we look after. , ., _, look after. right, so you welcome in --rincile. look after. right, so you welcome in principle- what _ look after. right, so you welcome in principle. what is _ look after. right, so you welcome in principle. what is the _ look after. right, so you welcome in principle. what is the feeling - principle. what is the feeling within your practice? i appreciate you represent a wider body as well but within your practice i think it is pretty sizeable. what are your staff saying to you about the level of interest, the confusion? what is the situation? what a patient safety? the situation? what a patient safe ? ~ ., the situation? what a patient safe ? ~ . , ., safety? well, i mean patients have been civen safety? well, i mean patients have been given regular _ safety? well, i mean patients have been given regular updates - safety? well, i mean patients have been given regular updates of- safety? well, i mean patients have been given regular updates of the i been given regular updates of the last few weeks as things change and as the companion gets bigger it is going to get more confusing for people to understand exactly what is happening. our receptionists are already under incredible pressure at the practice, as are all our staff. we know that the amount of activity in general practice is rising dramatically. there were 3a million consultations in general practice in october, which is 2 million up on september and 7 million up on august. and as you say, we have already been highly involved in the delivery of both the flu vaccination campaign and the covid campaign to date. so incredibly busy, staff have been doing incredibly hard work for an incredibly long time now so it would be unfair and disingenuous not to admit that there is anxiety out there about how we're going to do this. but equally this provides us with the best protection we have got the moment, so we will pull out all the moment, so we will pull out all the stops to make sure that gps contribute going forwards. absolutely. but what would help you? more staff perhaps on the administrative side? as much as those who are administering the actual jab? those who are administering the actual “ab? . ~ ., actualjab? yeah, i think general ractice actualjab? yeah, i think general practice has— actualjab? yeah, i think general practice has been _ actualjab? yeah, i think general practice has been under- actualjab? yeah, i think general practice has been under severe l practice has been under severe pressure for a decade now and a lot of the access issues predate the pandemic. but the pandemic has shone a light on it. we need the government to deliver on their manifesto promises of 6000 more gps and more support staff in practices. but we know that it takes time to both improve our teams and we have a real issue of the next four to eight weeks as we try to accelerate this programme. we need a reduction in the bureaucratic progress do not process that gps have to be involved in. the tick box exercise is need to stop so we can focus on where we hadn't the most clinical value to our patients. hadn't the most clinical value to our patients-_ hadn't the most clinical value to our atients. �* . ., our patients. and a quick thought, we are focusing _ our patients. and a quick thought, we are focusing inevitably - our patients. and a quick thought, we are focusing inevitably today i our patients. and a quick thought, | we are focusing inevitably today on vaccines but a quick thought about other illnesses. life carries on, people need to see their gp, sometimes they really need to see their gp in person. what is your take? what would you say to someone who is watching this this afternoon in things i really need to see the gp about something entirely different, what would your message be? , ., different, what would your message be? , ,., ., . ., different, what would your message be? , ., . ., . , be? our message from the college has been consistent _ be? our message from the college has been consistent throughout _ be? our message from the college has been consistent throughout the - been consistent throughout the pandemic. general practice is open and we are therefore our patients and we are therefore our patients and if there are any symptoms are causing them concern for anything serious like cancer that i think is going on that they must come and see us. we know that those appointments, two thirds of them were done face—to—face so gps i work incredibly hard and we are therefore our patients for a whole range of activity. and what this highlights just how important general practice is to the nhs and how important are wider teams are to making sure that the nhs continues to work and provide a full range of services for that patients need and expect. thank ou for that patients need and expect. thank you for nowt — that patients need and expect. thank you for nowt from _ that patients need and expect. thank you for nowt from the _ that patients need and expect. thank you for nowt from the royal- that patients need and expect. thank you for nowt from the royal college of gps. and just to tell you that in the next hour as well i will be talking to pharmacists —— thank you for now from the royal college of gps. the changes to the rules on international travel represent another set back for the industry. but passengers at gatwick today said they understood why the changes were being introduced. our correspondent, charlotte gallagher reports. these passengers here at gatwick as some of the first to be affected by these new rules. the omicron variant was only reported to the world health organization last week but its impact is already being felt. anyone coming into the uk, apart from those inside the common travel area, will now have to take a pcr test by the end of the second day after their arrival and they will have to isolate until they receive a negative result. another blow for the travel industry. it is unwelcome news of cause _ the travel industry. it is unwelcome news of cause for _ the travel industry. it is unwelcome news of cause for everyone. - the travel industry. it is unwelcome news of cause for everyone. but - news of cause for everyone. but i don't think we can say that, you know, we could say that this would never happen because i think there was always a possibility it could happen. for was always a possibility it could ha en. ., , was always a possibility it could hauen. ., , , , happen. for these passengers, it is a necessary — happen. for these passengers, it is a necessary inconvenience. - happen. for these passengers, it is a necessary inconvenience. i - happen. for these passengers, it is a necessary inconvenience. i don't. a necessary inconvenience. i don't think too much _ a necessary inconvenience. i don't think too much about _ a necessary inconvenience. i don't think too much about it, _ a necessary inconvenience. i don't think too much about it, i- a necessary inconvenience. i don't think too much about it, i think i a necessary inconvenience. i don't think too much about it, i think it| think too much about it, i think it was a _ think too much about it, i think it was a good — think too much about it, i think it was a good idea just to keep things on track_ was a good idea just to keep things on track to— was a good idea just to keep things on track to make sure, you know, keep— on track to make sure, you know, keep control _ on track to make sure, you know, keep control of this coronavirus. it comes_ keep control of this coronavirus. it comes into — keep control of this coronavirus. it comes into force at 4am this morning. _ comes into force at 4am this morning, it is taking money out of my pocket — morning, it is taking money out of my pocket again i don't have. people will have to — my pocket again i don't have. people will have to pay _ my pocket again i don't have. people will have to pay for _ my pocket again i don't have. people will have to pay for pcr _ my pocket again i don't have. people will have to pay for pcr tests - my pocket again i don't have. people will have to pay for pcr tests and - will have to pay for pcr tests and some travel industry leaders are calling for them to be made available on the nhs for travellers. others say they have not had enough notice of the changes. unfortunately, the industry does not get information in good time ahead of government announcement so that we can make sure that customers are where they need to be in order to get them back in time. so incredibly difficult and incredibly frustrating.— difficult and incredibly frustrating. difficult and incredibly frustratin: . , �* difficult and incredibly frustratina. , �* ., , frustrating. the uk isn't the only country to _ frustrating. the uk isn't the only country to introduce _ frustrating. the uk isn't the only country to introduce new - country to introduce new restrictions. british people planning skiing holidays to switzerland now face the prospect of quarantining the ten days on arrival. and from tomorrow, you will have to be fully vaccinated to go to spain. no one knows for certain the risks of this new variant but many countries are taking no chances. charlotte gallagher, bbc news. and the prime minister borisjohnson will be leading a downing street briefing at 4pm today. you can follow that live here. of course we are expecting that the premise will give more details about the rooster programme, the covid—i9 booster programme, much more to come on that. and perhaps more besides. it will be interesting to listen to as chris mason was suggesting. so do stay with us with that it will start at four pmp and bbc news. the chief of mi6, britain's secret intelligence service, is warning that britain's spies need to work with global tech companies, to combat rising cyber threats. richard moore says the increasing complexity of the technology used by those who want to do harm, mean mi6's "boffins" can't compete alone. he's also been speaking about the global threat posed by china. our security correspondent frank gardner is here. his first public, am i right in saying? his first public, am i right in sa in: ? , ., , his first public, am i right in sa inc? , ., , ., his first public, am i right in sa inc? , ., ., saying? yes, he has done an interview _ saying? yes, he has done an interview before _ saying? yes, he has done an interview before but - saying? yes, he has done an interview before but he - saying? yes, he has done an interview before but he gave| saying? yes, he has done an i interview before but he gave an interview before but he gave an interview this morning on radio four, this was his first public speech to a live audience. so he took over in october last year. and this is somebody whose name until he took over or secret, was classified secret. hejoined mi6 back in 1987 backin secret. hejoined mi6 back in 1987 back in a time when we didn't have the internet or phones or mobile phones rather. and in a completely different era. and what he is saying now is that there is this incredible technological race going on, where not only does mi6 risk getting left behind if they're not careful but the country's national security will be at risk if we are not keeping up on the vanguard of all these technological achievements. and what he's talking about here is things like ai, artificial intelligence machine learning, quantum computing, synthetic manipulated biology, gene manipulation, things like that. the things that he says britain's abbas is are doing. he means specifically russia and china. we being him and mi6 he has it that i'm partner up with technological companies outside intelligence base they're going to get left behind. and it will be impossible for them to do their jobs. so i have to say that although this is ok, i get that they have to do this in order not to get left behind but there is an inherent risk in this for them because if they start going more open, as he is saying they're going to have to do, thatis saying they're going to have to do, that is a fantastic opportunity potentially for britain's abbas is to get in there and try and steal those secrets. through subversion, blackmail and one thing and another. it is quite a bold move. but otherwise they're going to become an anachronism. that otherwise they're going to become an anachronism— anachronism. that is potentially . uite anachronism. that is potentially quite scary- _ anachronism. that is potentially quite scary- as— anachronism. that is potentially quite scary. as part _ anachronism. that is potentially quite scary. as part of _ anachronism. that is potentially quite scary. as part of this - anachronism. that is potentially quite scary. as part of this pitch j quite scary. as part of this pitch for more staff, more resources for him? he saying this is a major threat me take this seriously. yes. threat me take this seriously. yes, an time threat me take this seriously. yes, any time any _ threat me take this seriously. yes, any time any head _ threat me take this seriously. yes, any time any head of— threat me take this seriously. yes, any time any head of an _ threat me take this seriously. 1a: any time any head of an intelligence service gives a speech there is an element of a crewman in there. his speech was they have to become more diverse. of all the three agencies, mis, mi6 and gchq, i diverse. of all the three agencies, m15, mi6 and gchq, i would say that mi6 is the last really diversify. although he was very proud to say that they have got women in high places there, it is not as diverse as the others. m15 for example has won lots of awards lgbt pupils, there —— lgbt plus. he is very concerned about china, that is a huge preoccupation for them. he is saying that the tectonic plates have shifted in the last few years in china's favour. that they have not only become a huge economic power but they are doing advances in all sorts of technological areas where britain risks getting left behind. he said there are large—scale chinese intelligence operations going on in this country targeting the chinese diaspora. i'm sure that will be denied but he said it is very difficult now to spy on china because they have got this surveillance state where there are thousandsif surveillance state where there are thousands if not millions of cameras everywhere, map in every area using facial recognition, gait recognition, meaning spotting somebody from the way they walk, the way they move. so the old days of smuggling and intelligence officer into a country improve the aim of attending their professor of academia isn't going to work because of the pops. actually, now this guy is an mi6 case officer. so difficult for them. they need to adapt if they're going to keep doing what they're going to keep doing what they do. they're going to keep doing what the do. ,, ., ., ., ,, they do. goodness. ok, for now thank ou. our they do. goodness. ok, for now thank you- our security _ they do. goodness. ok, for now thank you. our security correspondent - you. our security correspondent frank gardner. more than 115,000 homes in parts of scotland and the north of england remain without power due to the damage caused by storm arwen. numerous homes have been damaged in aberdeenshire and whole villages in cumbria have been left with no power. residents in perthshire and angus are also still waiting to be reconnected to the grid.. energy providers say they're continuing to work on repairing the �*catastrophic�* damage to the network. it's not clear when power will be restored. more than 20,000 households across the north of england have spent a fourth night without power. our correspondent, alison freeman, has been in the village of blanch—land in northumberland, where the situation is said to be getting �*desperate'. yeah, this is just yeah, this isjust one of yeah, this is just one of the places where some of those 20,000 or so houses across the north—east, we are talking about northumberland, county durham and north yorkshire still without power. there are also problems over the pennines in cumbria in some of the outlying villages there that have been heavily affected by snow. and with no power means no heating, no hot water, no hot food. on top of that some of these places simply haven't had any water supplies, freshwater supplies at all. there are also without mobile phone and internet and are starting to feel really quite isolated there. now, we know that in a lot of these communities the frustration they're starting to feel is that they are being given times when the power is meant to be coming back on but those deadlines simply aren't being met. northern power grid, which covers this part of the country, says it has been dealing with hundreds of incidences of power cables being knocked out by storm arwen and it is doing everything it can to deal with them but people here tell me that they are starting to feel forgotten. what they are doing is relying on places like the local pub which is helping to check upon the elderly and use its generator to charge of everything from hearing aids to ipads and mobile phones. so as i say, it is that sense of community thatis say, it is that sense of community that is really keeping people going. alison freeman on a really, really continuing difficult situation for thousands of people. in about half an hour or so thousands of people. in about half an hour orso i'm thousands of people. in about half an hour or so i'm going to be talking to someone in i believe aberdeenshire about their situation and what facilities they do and don't have as a result of the storm. so we're keeping an eye on that. also we're keeping an eye on because we are waiting to hear from the first minister. let's listen in. sadly, a further ten deaths have been reported over the past 2a hours. that takes the total number of deaths under the daily definition to 9572. and once again i want to convey my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one. more positively, progress and the pace of the vaccination programme continues to be very good. 4,000,3a0 people have had a first dose, 3,000,9a0 have had a first dose, 3,000,9a0 have now had two doses. and in total, 88% of all those over the age of 18 are double dose vaccinated. in addition, 77% of 16 and 17—year—olds and 59% of 12 to 15—year—olds have had a first dose. and from today, 16 and 17—year—olds can book their second dose of the vaccine online and i would encourage them to do so. on first, second and booster doses we remain the most vaccinated part of the uk and that matters because as we know vaccines do save lives. according to a study published last week by the world health organization, there may be more than 27,000 people in scotland who are alive today only because of vaccines. so i want to again record my thanks to everyone involved in organising and delivering the programme. in my statement last week, i expressed the view that our overall situation was much stronger than i had dared hope. case numbers, although it's still too high, had stabilised and indeed they had started to decline. since then, the data has become if anything even more encouraging. however, while case numbers here have continued to fall, the world has of course received a deeply worrying news of the new omicron variant. i say —— i will say more shortly about our current understanding of the new variant but before that i will give just a bit more detail on the current overall trends in infection levels. in the past week, the average number of new cases been recorded each day has fallen from just under 3000 to just over 2500, which is a reduction of 15%. as in the past few weeks, the biggest decline has been in older age groups, cases in the over 60 age groups, cases in the over 60 age group have fallen by 27% and of course that is very likely to reflect the ongoing success of the booster programme. encouragingly though, cases in the under 60 age cohort which account for the significant majority of cases in scotland just now, have also fallen in the past week by 13%. in fact, over the past week cases have fallen in all age groups. the number of people in hospital is also fallen from 743 to 706. as has the number in intensive care from 60 to 54. so all of this is really positive news. it does indicate the vaccination, together with continued compliance with the protections that are still in place, is applying a firm pressure on transmission and therefore helping to reduce the overall health harms that the virus causes. all of that said, the nhs is still under significant and very severe pressure. case numbers, though they are now falling, do remain very high and higher than we would want them to be going into the winter period. and of course we know that a combination of factors pose a real risk that transmission will increase again through december and into the new year, as cold weather forces us indoors more and festive socialising gets under way. this risk remains very real and if it materialises would put significant additional pressure on the nhs. and of course, the risk has now been significantly increased at least potentially by the emergence of omicron. let me turn therefor to what we currently know about the new variant and perhaps the most important point to make at this stage is that most of the key questions about the impact and implications of it have not yet been answered. however, the number of mutations that it has and the nature of these, together with some of the very early indications from southern africa, have raised the concern that it might be more transmissible than the delta variant, which of course is the currently dominant variant here in scotland and many other parts of the world. further data and analysis is needed to confirm this and also to assess what impact, if any, the new variant might have on the effectiveness of vaccines and on the effectiveness of vaccines and on the risk of infection. it is worth stressing that there is no evidence at this stage to suggest that the disease caused by omicron is more severe than that caused by other variants. however, further analysis is required before it can be certain of this. thanks to the work of the global scientific community we will find out much more about omicron in the days and weeks ahead. and as our knowledge and understanding expand, we will of course be able to assess with much more certainty the implications for our response to the pandemic. i very much hope that as we do learn more, our level of concern will diminish rather than increase. however, while hoping very much for the best, i think it is prudent at this stage to contemplate and prepare for something that is less positive than that. the fact is that any variant which might be more transmissible than delta, which of course in turn was more transmissible than any variant that came before it and which could even if two are a limited extent evade vaccine natural immunity must be taken very seriously. that is why we have and will continue for now to respond in a way that is proportionate but also highly precautionary. let me turn now to our current understanding of the presence of the omicron variant here in scotland. i can't confirm —— i can confirm as a 5pm yesterday there are nine confirmed cases in scotland. five of these are in lanarkshire and four in greater glasgow and clyde. we have preliminary information on all nine of these cases, which is the basis of these cases, which is the basis of these cases, which is the basis of the information i am about to share with parliament. however, i want to stress that health protection teams are continuing their investigations. let me say firstly that none of the people who have tested positive for this new variant have so far required hospital care. all nine were tested on or around the 23rd of november and because they had tested positive they have all been self isolating. a surveillance look—back exercise had identified that the pcr test results in these cases showed what is called the s and jean dropout. this is not conclusive evidence of the omicron variant but it is indicative of it. however, whole genome sequencing of these positive samples has now confirmed that they are indeed the omicron variant. none of these individuals as far as we know has any recent travel history to all known links with others who have travelled to the countries in southern africa where the variant was originally detected. however, while they contact tracing exercise is still ongoing, health protection teams have established that all nine cases are linked. they all trace back to a single private event on the 20th of november. indeed, we fully expect that there will be more cases identified over the coming days that are also linked to this event. there is some community transmission of omicron already happening in scotland. however, all known cases are linked to this single event is suggesting community transmission may still be limited. indeed, there is nothing in the white look—back exercise to suggest that community transmission of the new variant is either sustained or widespread. there is look—back exercise has examined pcr test samples dating back to the 1st of november to identify any with this asjean drop out. another have been identified and whether sample makes as possible, subjected to whole genome sequencing and so far this exercise has resulted in the nine cases we have reported. given the nature and scale of cop26, the surveillance work is looking at any potential links to it. at this stage, there is no evidence whatsoever of any such link and while it is not impossible one will emerge i think the timelines involved make it improbable. in short, public health scotland is working hard to identify any or all cases of omicron in scotland as quickly as possible and i am grateful to them for this effort. given the nature of transmission, i consider it highly likely, almost certain, more cases perhaps many more cases will emerge. however, the enhanced surveillance does give us the best probable chance of identifying cases quickly and through isolation of index casing and close contacts and targeted testing of then breaking transmission chains and containing spread while we learn more about this variant. that is key because while so much about the new variant is so far and known, it is important we act on a highly precautionary basis. that is true in terms of the steps that government must take but it is equally true for all of us as citizens, we all have a part to play and this has been true throughout the pandemic, in stemming transmission of the virus in general and let's not forget that while we are talking about nine cases of a new variant right now, 2500 cases of delta are still being recorded each day. suppressing transmission of it remains important but it is important to suppress and contain transmission of the new variant in particular. some of the protections that the uk government announced at the weekend in relation to england for example, a requirement to wear face coverings, are already in place and more extensive here in scotland. at this stage, rather than introducing new protections, we are asking people to significantly step up asking people to significantly step up and increase compliance with existing protection such as face coverings, hygiene, home—working, ventilation, vaccination and regular testing. this enhanced compliance domestically will complement the uk wide travel restrictions confirmed over the weekend which aim to reduce the risk of additional cases of the new variant into the country, ten counties from southern africa have been added to the travel of red leicester so far. anyone travelling back to scotland from any of those ten countries must enter quarantine for ten days. in addition, anyone arriving in scotland from anywhere outside the common travel area is now required to take a pcr cover test on or before the second day of their arrival, we are advising should be on the second day and is a self isolated until they get the results of that test back. the scottish government was myjudgment as it would be sensible given the incubation period of the virus and on a precautionary basis for these travel rules to be tightened further on a four nations basis. yesterday, the first minister of wales and i suggested to the prime minister until we know more about omicron people arriving in the uk from overseas should be asked to self—isolate eight days and take a pcr test on day eight after their arrival as well as on day two. we look forward to discussing that more in future. we will also suggesting the convening of a cobra meeting to discuss this and other issues in the early course would be appropriate. while certainty isn't possible at this stage and won't be possible until we know much more about this new variant, my strong hope is that beyond temporary travel measure is no additional restrictions will be required. but that will depend partly on what information emerges about omicron in the days to come but also and significantly on all of us complying rigorously with the protections already in place to stand transmission. it remains the case that our first and most important line of defence against the virus is vaccination. we received updated advice yesterday from the jc vi, received updated advice yesterday from thejc vi, its updated recommendations is as follows. all adults over the age of 18 should be eligible for a booster. the gap between second doses and boosters should now be reduced to three months, people who are immunosuppressant and who have already had three doses should also now be eligible for a booster. those who are immunosuppressed and have not had a third jab should get out are now regardless of whether the second dose was administered. 12—15 —year—olds should be offered a second dose. the gc vi had recommended a second doses of 416 and 17 euros and from today anyone in that age group can book an appointment for their second dose online. the scottish government has accepted that the jcvi's recommendations and we will put its advice into operation as soon as possible. urgent modelling work is being done to inform that operational response, for example, assessing capacity that will be neededin assessing capacity that will be needed in terms of workforce and facilities. as thejcvi has advised, we will prioritise boosterjabs on an eight and clinical risk basis. the bottom line is many more people than was the case last week at least 1 million more people are eligible for a booster and that is good news in our fight against this virus. information will be provided as soon as possible for those who have become newly eligible. to those who are already eligible, if you haven't had your booster, please book to get it as soon as possible. uptake in the over 60s is now 84%. that is high but we want to get it higher still, so if you are yet to get the booster please do so now. similarly, if you're aged between 40 and 59, please book online nhs inform. there is a concern the vaccines will be less effective against this new variant and i want to stress we don't yet know if that is the case. evenif don't yet know if that is the case. even if it is, vaccination will still matter. less effective does not mean ineffective. the vaccines will remain just as effective as they are now against the delta variant which is still the dominant one circulating in scotland. a booster will significantly improve our protection against all variants, it really is the most important thing any of us can do to protect ourselves and loved ones. similarly, if you still haven't had your first or second dose, please arrange to do that as well. it is more important than ever to get an appointment and to get the protection vaccination will offer you. to get the protection vaccination will offeryou. in to get the protection vaccination will offer you. in addition to getting vaccinated and as i said earlier, all of those should step up and significantly increase our compliance with existing protections like face coverings, ventilation and hand hygiene, we are strongly encouraging everyone who can't to work from home and we are asking everyone from now through the festive season to do a test bait for mixing with people from another household. from monday, subject to the parliament is's approval, this week a proof of the recent negative lateral flow test or vaccination will be accepted by venues and events covered by the covid certification scheme. it is very easy and it is a free to get lateral flow test, they can be ordered online or picked up from pharmacies. if you're a secondary school pupil are a member of staff at school, test kits are available free of charge from schools and early years centres. i can confirm today in the run—up to the festive season lateral flow test will be made available by local authorities and many more locations. they will vary in different parts of the country but they will include shopping centres and supermarkets, garden centres, sports grounds and christmas markets. we are working with travel partners to tests in transport hubs. while it is easy to get lateral flow tests we are taking is — steps to make it easier. make sure you get supply. it is worth mentioning the devices and easier to use than the older ones. if you have previously tied lateral flow tests and given it because you found them too difficult or uncomfortable to use, please do try again now. also to the part of their test results online and if it shows a positive isolate at home until you have had the result of a pcr test. if we all do this it will make a really big difference because we will all massively reduce the risk of infecting others particularly if we have the virus that we wouldn't know about is because we don't have symptoms. test yourself before mixing with others and on every occasion that you intend mixing with others. to drop my remarks to a close, the emergence of this new variant is a blow, certainly a potential blow, it is the most concerning potentially the most concerning development in the last few months. we are still in a much better position than we were at this time last year thanks to vaccines. we know what we need to do to stand transmission because we have the night before and we know it works. it is done to all of us to make sure we do it. in recent weeks we have been sticking a bit less strictly to public health advice, now is the time to follow it ridiculously again. get vaccinated, test regularly on any occasion before socialising or mixing with other households, and comply with all existing protections. please wear a face coverings on public transport and shops, when moving about in hospitality settings, keep windows open, follow all advice on hygiene, wash hands and surfaces, and work from home if you can. the discovery of this new variant there is make these measures even more important than ever before. if we treat the news of the new variant is an opportunity to raise our guard again, i hope we can protect the progress made in recent weeks and we can give ourselves the best possible chance of enjoying notjust a more normal christmas which we all want but a safer christmas as well, and also avoiding any tighter restrictions in the weeks ahead. get vaccinated, get tested and comply with all of the protections in place. if we do this we will play our part in slowing the spread of the virus and this new variant in particular. the virus and this new variant in particular-— the virus and this new variant in particular. the first minister will now take questions. _ particular. the first minister will now take questions. can't - particular. the first minister will- now take questions. can't remember who wish to ask a question can press their request to speak button. i called douglas ross. last week of the first— called douglas ross. last week of the first minister came to this chamber— the first minister came to this chamber and the first minister came to this chamberand was the first minister came to this chamber and was upbeat in her assessment of the covid outlook saying _ assessment of the covid outlook saying the situation was more positive — saying the situation was more positive than we might have expected it to be _ positive than we might have expected it to be at _ positive than we might have expected it to be. at the same time, my party was calling _ it to be. at the same time, my party was calling for the easing of some restrictions. as we have seen time and time _ restrictions. as we have seen time and time again with this virus, a lot can — and time again with this virus, a lot can change injust a week. the situation — lot can change injust a week. the situation has shifted and so must our approach. the uk government and the scottish— our approach. the uk government and the scottish government is in response _ the scottish government is in response to the emergence of this new variant has been swift in recent days _ new variant has been swift in recent days. nobody wants to see restrictions return, we are all fed up restrictions return, we are all fed up with— restrictions return, we are all fed up with this — restrictions return, we are all fed up with this virus and the limits it has placed — up with this virus and the limits it has placed on our lives for nearly two years — has placed on our lives for nearly two years. but we have to be realistic _ two years. but we have to be realistic and sensible, evaluate the situation _ realistic and sensible, evaluate the situation fully as we learn more about— situation fully as we learn more about this — situation fully as we learn more about this new variant. while we wait for— about this new variant. while we wait for more information, we are not defenceless against this virus. the vaccination scheme has always been _ the vaccination scheme has always been our— the vaccination scheme has always been our best weapon against cove at 19. been our best weapon against cove at 19 as _ been our best weapon against cove at 19 as the _ been our best weapon against cove at 19. as the first minister noted today, — 19. as the first minister noted today, experts estimate that more than 27,000 lives in scotland have been _ than 27,000 lives in scotland have been saved — than 27,000 lives in scotland have been saved as a result of our vaccines _ been saved as a result of our vaccines. the booster programme across— vaccines. the booster programme across the — vaccines. the booster programme across the uk is going well. but there _ across the uk is going well. but there is— across the uk is going well. but there is no— across the uk is going well. but there is no doubt there could be even _ there is no doubt there could be even more — there is no doubt there could be even more urgency in delivering it. for weeks— even more urgency in delivering it. for weeks now, we have been calling for the _ for weeks now, we have been calling for the reopening of mass vaccination centres to speed up that roll-out _ vaccination centres to speed up that roll—out. these centres were incredibly— roll—out. these centres were incredibly effective in the right of the initial— incredibly effective in the right of the initial doses yet this morning her health— the initial doses yet this morning her health sector dismissed our proposal — her health sector dismissed our proposal - _ her health sector dismissed our proposal. — health secretary. what is being _ proposal. — health secretary. what is being done to resolve these issues? — is being done to resolve these issues? finally, afterthejcvi issues? finally, after the jcvi decision, _ issues? finally, afterthejcvi decision, there are almost 2 million people _ decision, there are almost 2 million people in_ decision, there are almost 2 million people in scotland waiting to get their vaccine. people in scotland waiting to get theirvaccine. consideringjust people in scotland waiting to get their vaccine. considering just how crucial— their vaccine. considering just how crucial it— their vaccine. considering just how crucial it is — their vaccine. considering just how crucial it is for as many people as possible — crucial it is for as many people as possible to — crucial it is for as many people as possible to get that boosterjab. can the — possible to get that boosterjab. can the first minister tell us what additional measures she is taking now to _ additional measures she is taking now to accelerate this vital booster programme? iremain programme? i remain more positive than i was programme? — i remain more positive than i was a few weeks ago about the situation thatis few weeks ago about the situation that is notwithstanding the emergence of the new variant as i have set out today. the overall trend of infections in scotland is downwards. a few weeks ago i would not have dared hope that it would be the case. we know our risks around the case. we know our risks around the festive period, colder weather pushing us all indoors more, that is an additional risk potentially in the form of this new variant. but we are in a stronger position to confront all of that than would have been the case this time last year or even a few weeks ago. vaccination is that best line of defence which is why there is no lack of urgency on the part of the scottish government, no we do we rule out any options. we discuss an ongoing basis the appropriate ways in which we can accelerate the progress of the vaccination programme. we have had the questions and i would always expect questions on this about the route, the deployment route we chose it 15—year—olds, and the deployment of roots we have chosen for this stage of the first stages of the booster campaigns. the roots we have chosen have taken as to where we are today which is the most vaccinated part of the uk. we are quite a way ahead of any other nation in the uk. we want to go further, that was true before the jcvi we want to go further, that was true before thejcvi updated us yesterday that it before thejcvi updated us yesterday thatitis before thejcvi updated us yesterday that it is more true now when we have so many more people eligible. we are considering all possible options to do that and we are not alone. the uk governments, the welsh government and northern irish government are having to do the same. there is not a shortage of staff, we have got staff in place to do the roll—out that we had planned on the basis of the old advice but given that our more than a million people eligible that weren't eligible this time yesterday we have to find more staff and more facilities to speed that up. that is the work that is under way right now and we will focus ourselves, get our shoulders to the wheel and work with health boards whose shoulders are also to the wheel. all four of the nations across the uk are going to be doing that. the good news is we have adequate supplies of vaccines although i think developments in the last few days remind all of us that we need to get vaccines distributed more quickly across the whole world because until the whole world is vaccinated, none of us are out of danger. we will continue the vaccination programme is the most important thing the government is doing. we important thing the government is doinu. ~ , important thing the government is doina.~ , ., ., doing. we will pull away from holyrood for _ doing. we will pull away from holyrood for now _ doing. we will pull away from holyrood for now and - doing. we will pull away from holyrood for now and keep i doing. we will pull away from j holyrood for now and keep an doing. we will pull away from i holyrood for now and keep an ear across what is happening there. scotland was my first minister briefing msps on the latest situation as you see, nine cases in scotland confirmed of the new coronavirus variant. that is of five o'clock yesterday evening. all linked to one single private event. a lot of talk about the booster vaccine, the importance of late, the roll—out of that scheme and the difference with the westminster government in terms of travel of the regulation around travel. let's get the thoughts of our scotland correspondence james shaw. what stands out for youth are from what we're hearing? it stands out for youth are from what we're hearing?— we're hearing? it was, what was interesting _ we're hearing? it was, what was interesting was _ we're hearing? it was, what was interesting was that _ we're hearing? it was, what was interesting was that these i we're hearing? it was, what was interesting was that these nine l interesting was that these nine cases of the new variant seem to have all come from one event, a private event, as the first minister described it on the 20th of november. ten days ago. it took awhile for them to realise that these cases were the new variant, to do exactly the right tests to identify what kind of variants of coronavirus it was. she said that they suggested there was some community transmission so in other words it wasn'tjust people having caught the new variant in southern africa and then travelling to the uk, travelling to scotland, it had been spread to some limited extent in scotland and she said it was possible there would be more cases, perhaps many more cases was the way nicola sturgeon put it. she also said there had been some suggestion it might be linked to cop26, that theyin it might be linked to cop26, that they in glasgow last month. she said they in glasgow last month. she said the timeline, the fact this was on the timeline, the fact this was on the 20th and cop26 finished on the 12th, suggested that wasn't the case. what was also significant was that she said she was still confident that the virus could be controlled in scotland, case numbers were coming down. she wasn't calling for new protection measures. she was more saying they should be increased compliance with the measures that are in place like wearing masks, testing the travel restrictions and that the passport, the certificates people have to use to get into certain venues like nightclubs. it was a mixed picture that i think and the whole nicola sturgeon appears to be confident what the scottish government is doing should be enough to keep this new variant in check. thanks for now. that is james shaw in glasgow. just worth reminding you as well that it'll be interesting to hear from the prime as well that it'll be interesting to hearfrom the prime minister as well that it'll be interesting to hear from the prime minister who as well that it'll be interesting to hearfrom the prime minister who is due to speak at four o'clock. you will have heard first minister, the scottish first minister, with a different approach to people arriving from outside the uk. she would like to have a cobra meeting. she talked about working from home if possible. we have not heard that from borisjohnson. that is coming up from borisjohnson. that is coming up at four o'clock, but news briefing. you will be able to watch that life here on bbc news. we will take a look at on of the other main stories here. more than 45,000 homes in parts of scotland and the north of england remain without power due to the damage caused by storm arwen. numerous homes have been damaged in aberdeenshire and whole villages in cumbria have been left with no power. residents in perthshire and angus are also still waiting to be reconnected to the grid. energy providers say they're continuing to work on repairing the catastrophic damage to the network. it's not clear when power will be restored. it really is a difficult situation for so many people. joining me now is malcolm bruce, the former liberal democrat mp and now baron bruce of bennachie, a member of the house of lords. he is speaking with us today in a personal capacity he's in the village of torphins in aberdeenshire and he's been affected by the aftermath of storm arwen. explain the situation where you are. the power— explain the situation where you are. the power went off at six o'clock on friday— the power went off at six o'clock on friday night — the power went off at six o'clock on friday night and it is still not back— friday night and it is still not back on _ friday night and it is still not back on. people haven't realised not only are _ back on. people haven't realised not only are we — back on. people haven't realised not only are we are not with power but we don't _ only are we are not with power but we don't have any mobile phone or internet _ we don't have any mobile phone or internet connection. in addition to it, internet connection. in addition to it. bt— internet connection. in addition to it. bt were — internet connection. in addition to it, bt were in the process of switching _ it, bt were in the process of switching away from analog to bt voice _ switching away from analog to bt voice which means landlines were previously— voice which means landlines were previously worked during a power way - that _ previously worked during a power way - that i _ previously worked during a power way - that i no _ previously worked during a power way — that i no longer working. people were _ — that i no longer working. people were cut _ — that i no longer working. people were cut off. they were all kinds of announcements of what was going on, they couldn't access the information was not _ they couldn't access the information was not getting through. it was a much _ was not getting through. it was a much more — was not getting through. it was a much more severe situation. it is improving — much more severe situation. it is improving and i think the community has responded in many ways. those who have _ has responded in many ways. those who have got power are offering to help those — who have got power are offering to help those who have not. the church has opened — help those who have not. the church has opened up to provide people with heat and _ has opened up to provide people with heat and access to wi—fi so they can communicate with the outside world. nonetheless, it is still pretty grim and we _ nonetheless, it is still pretty grim and we have no indication of when our village — and we have no indication of when our village and other communities will be _ our village and other communities will be connected because the authorities say they are working out that they— authorities say they are working out that they can't tell us. every deadline _ that they can't tell us. every deadline they have given this has slipped _ deadline they have given this has slipped by at least 24 hours. that is really grim. — slipped by at least 24 hours. trisgt is really grim, everything you described. are your neighbours, the people that live near you, to what extent have they been able to get any updates? for people who are vulnerable, have they been able to get help? what is your sense of some people who are even worse off than yourself? we people who are even worse off than ourself? ~ . , ~ yourself? we are resilient i think and we have _ yourself? we are resilient i think and we have managed _ yourself? we are resilient i think and we have managed to - yourself? we are resilient i think and we have managed to cope. l yourself? we are resilient i think- and we have managed to cope. think for many, _ and we have managed to cope. think for many, the community services have _ for many, the community services have responded. at one point, an area _ have responded. at one point, an area probably 40 miles across was completely blacked out, no phone signal— completely blacked out, no phone signal or— completely blacked out, no phone signal or power. people have to travel— signal or power. people have to travel a — signal or power. people have to travel a long way to get to somewhere which had power and which had a phone _ somewhere which had power and which had a phone signal. some people were doin- had a phone signal. some people were doing in— had a phone signal. some people were doing in order to get information. the community people, neighbours, responded _ the community people, neighbours, responded well. people help each other— responded well. people help each other out— responded well. people help each other out and this has been going on for days— other out and this has been going on for days and — other out and this has been going on for days and a lot more is being done _ for days and a lot more is being done. including by the electricity companies that is providing water and hot _ companies that is providing water and hot food because in some cases the water— and hot food because in some cases the water has been. it is like a third _ the water has been. it is like a third world _ the water has been. it is like a third world incident. the police have _ third world incident. the police have designated it as a major incident _ have designated it as a major incident. we don't know when it is going _ incident. we don't know when it is going to _ incident. we don't know when it is going to end. gne incident. we don't know when it is going to end-— going to end. one of the energy companies _ going to end. one of the energy companies involved _ going to end. one of the energy companies involved here, i i going to end. one of the energy companies involved here, i hear going to end. one of the energy i companies involved here, i hear you when they say they have tried to help with food and other matters in some instances, they have said this is some of the worst damage we have ever seen. is some of the worst damage we have everseen. nonetheless, it is is some of the worst damage we have ever seen. nonetheless, it is still a very long time. where is the balance for you? do you feel this has been too long to spite otters, non—? d0 has been too long to spite otters, non-? , ., has been too long to spite otters, non-? y., , ., non-? do you understand their situation? _ non-? do you understand their situation? l — non-? do you understand their situation? i had _ non-? do you understand their situation? i had experienced i non-? do you understand their. situation? i had experienced when non-? do you understand their- situation? i had experienced when i was first— situation? i had experienced when i was first elected in 1984 seven people — was first elected in 1984 seven people were offered two weeks. this is the _ people were offered two weeks. this is the worse since then. i appreciate how much damage there was, how— appreciate how much damage there was, how devastating it was, how widespread it was. i appreciate the fact you _ widespread it was. i appreciate the fact you can'tjust pull it back together~ _ fact you can'tjust pull it back together. this may raise questions about— together. this may raise questions about whether the line should be protected. one issue related to communication is the only mobile phone _ communication is the only mobile phone service there seems to work ironically— phone service there seems to work ironically is — phone service there seems to work ironically is bt internet, having cut to — ironically is bt internet, having cut to the — ironically is bt internet, having cut to the landlines they are providing it. what occurred to me was: _ providing it. what occurred to me was, why— providing it. what occurred to me was, why not allow roaming, at least the emergency number is notjust 999 but is _ the emergency number is notjust 999 but is 105— the emergency number is notjust 999 but is 105 which is the one the energy— but is 105 which is the one the energy companies offer so that at least _ energy companies offer so that at least people can access that. if people — least people can access that. if people were not on that and only the internet _ people were not on that and only the internet was working, people who didn't— internet was working, people who didn't have that couldn't access any information. as the days, people were _ information. as the days, people were reliant on rumour and gossip and people — were reliant on rumour and gossip and people who had been out of the area and _ and people who had been out of the area and picked up some information, area and picked up some information, a little _ area and picked up some information, a little bit _ area and picked up some information, a little bit of— area and picked up some information, a little bit of asking through on radio — a little bit of asking through on radio. ironically i noticed on your channel, — radio. ironically i noticed on your channel, our— radio. ironically i noticed on your channel, ourvillage radio. ironically i noticed on your channel, our village was on the network— channel, our village was on the network knew so what had gone out. nobody _ network knew so what had gone out. nobody in _ network knew so what had gone out. nobody in the village would probably have seen— nobody in the village would probably have seen that! i do worry not only about— have seen that! i do worry not only about how — have seen that! i do worry not only about how severe it is but how poor the communications are to inform people _ the communications are to inform people of— the communications are to inform people of what is going on. people have responded but it is taking a lon- have responded but it is taking a long time — have responded but it is taking a long time and it is difficult. thank ou so long time and it is difficult. thank you so much- _ long time and it is difficult. thank you so much. of— long time and it is difficult. thank you so much. of the _ long time and it is difficult. thank you so much. of the best - long time and it is difficult. thank you so much. of the best to i long time and it is difficult. thank you so much. of the best to you | long time and it is difficult. thank. you so much. of the best to you and everyone in your village. thousands of people still affected. we must have a look at the weather. temperatures will be up and down this week. it started cold and very mild today. temperatures in double figures and it turns colder again towards the latter part of the week before turning milder on friday. we've got a lot of cloud around with this mild plume of air today courtesy of this area of low pressure. this is a deepening feature which will be pushing on across the uk and bringing increasing amounts of rain and stronger winds. wrapped up in it is the milder air, the orange and yellow colours. there is a lot of cloud, moisture laden air, spots of drizzle anywhere. more rain further north. strengthening winds in the north. strengthening winds in the north west. he will be looking for a cash some sunshine. most places will stay cloudy but despite that, those temperatures in double figures. quite cold for shetland, only three degrees. as we move through this evening, this area of low pressure deepens and as a pollution is south—east is, but i suppose developing on the chart. windier across areas. gales across some irish sea coast. they will be heavy rain pushing south was followed by blustery showers. these will turn wintry of a higher ground. tonight will be a chilly night. we are under the milder air across the south—east to start wednesday but it won't be long until those blue and mint green colours take over. it'll be a chilly day on wednesday, the wind coming in from the north west. sunshine and showers sums it up nicely. we will see longer spells of rain at times pushing down parts of england and wales. look at those temperatures, no double figures. around four to about eight in the south. thursday is a colder day, a rent of northerly winds, sunshine and showers, most of the sun shines will be the east. we will see increasing cloud later in the day. those temperatures and low single figures. it turns milder on friday, simply for england and wales but with that comes stronger winds outbreaks of rain. this is bbc news, i'mjane hill. boris johnson describes new coronavirus restrictions in england, as "the right approach"— and says the booster programme is vital, to beat the new variant. what we do know is that the boosters can give you a lot of protection against all types of the virus. and we think that is overwhelmingly likely at any weight. so the crucial thing is for everybody now to come out and get your boosters. from today, face coverings must be worn in shops, and on public transport in england, unless you're exempt. also from today anyone arriving in the uk must take a pcr test within two days, and isolate until they get a negative result. some in business and the travel industry, are concerned. the head of mi6 wants more co—operation with tech companies, to counter rising cyber threats. five days after storm arwen, tens of thousands are still without power. good afternoon. borisjohnson has called on people to support new coronavirus—control measures in england, to �*buy time' in the face of the omicron variant. the new rules affect international travellers, shoppers and commuters. they come as the number of cases linked to the variant, continues to grow. ministers have announced a big expansion of the boosterjab programme. face coverings are now mandatory on public transport and in shops in england. and people arriving in the uk must take a pcr test and isolate until they get a negative result. borisjohnson is expected to set out the new plans for the booster programme in england, at a briefing later this afternoon. here's our health correspondent, dominic hughes. once again, shoppers in england have to get used to compulsively face coverings. the new regulations cover post offices, banks, hairdressers, takeaways and public transport. some people are exempt from wearing a mask for health reasons but at waterloo station in london not everyone was on board. i am going out every weekend to the clubs, you can still do that but you have to wear a mask a club, it makes no sense. an overreaction, it does not make anyone safer. the mayor of london was clear that rules for public transport would be enforced. i hope there is no reason to ask anybody to leave or refuse entry but if people, having been asked to wear a face mask that do not and stay on public transport, they will be fined. the regulations bring england more into line with the rest of the uk. masks are required in pubs and restaurants in scotland and northern ireland. there are concerns about how shop staff will cope when faced with people who still refuse to wear a mask. the government must help businesses like iceland to enforce mask wearing if that is what they need. we spend millions on security each year but the scale of this issue is such that we cannot police everything every hour of everyday. perhaps the biggest changes announced in the last 24 others are the modifications to the booster programme, slashing the gap between second jab and booster from six months to three and opening up boosters to all those over 18. it will be a significant test for the nhs in the months to come. the two challenges will be the logistics of delivering so much vaccine in a very short time and, of course, it is important people come forward and receive the jabs in good time so we can build up the extra immunity we need to be sure we are protected against a new variant. so a challenging month ahead for the nhs. some reports had surfaced of problems with the online booking system for the booster programme, ministers had suggested a target of 3.5 millionjabs per week but at a gp surgery this morning the prime minister said much was still uncertain about the new variants. while there is doubt about what exactly the variant can do, what we do know is that the boosters can give a lot of protection against all types of the virus and we think that is overwhelmingly likely at any rate, so the crucial thing is that everybody now comes out and gets boosters. ramping up the booster programme will be a challenge for a health service already busy, but it is clear there is real concern about the potential threat posed by the omicron variant. dominic hughes, bbc news. the prime minister is due to hold a news conference in just under an hour's time — at 4 o'clock this afternoon. and a little earlier, i spoke to our political correspondent, chris mason, and asked him what we can expect. i think what is going to be really interesting is the tone is struck by borisjohnson. yes, there will be an a chance no doubt firm to address those logistical issues that dominic was reflecting on in his report. around ramping up of the booster programme but there is a broader public message that will be fascinating to hear, precisely how does the prime minister calibrate it? so he said lunch time today you saw it there in dominic's report, that he doesn't think that we should, in england, be changing our behaviour, beyond the stipulation that has changed around mask wearing on public transport and in shops. and that is in stark contrast to what we heard this morning from the uk health security agency, the doctor was on the today programme on radio four and she said perhaps we should consider minimising our socialising. in the last hour the debate in the commons have got under way around these changing regulations in england, to the irritation of some conservative backbenchers that it is happened after the change in the law rather than beforehand. and within motions of that —— moment of that starting, the vaccine minister was confronted by several conservative mps say and hang on a minute, what is the policy here? is it what the adviser out and about speaking this morning were saying? or is it what ministers are saying? or is it what ministers are saying? downing street has been forced to say that the doctor is an adviser, she advises, she doesn't decide. , ., decide. chris mason, our political correspondent. _ decide. chris mason, our political correspondent. the _ decide. chris mason, our political correspondent. the report- decide. chris mason, our political correspondent. the report that i decide. chris mason, our political. correspondent. the report that chris referred to in that report. joining me now is adam finn, professor of paediatrics at the university of bristol and member of thejoint committee on vaccination and immunisation who advises uk health departments on immunisation. good afternoon again, professor. we keep hearing from the prime minister and more besides that there is still and more besides that there is still a lot of doubt about this new variant. there are still plenty of things we don't know but that said, is the increase in the booster programme still important in your opinion? programme still important in your oinion? , ., , , , programme still important in your oinion? , , , , opinion? yes, absolutely. this is if ou like a opinion? yes, absolutely. this is if you like a kind _ opinion? yes, absolutely. this is if you like a kind of _ opinion? yes, absolutely. this is if you like a kind of insurance policyl you like a kind of insurance policy against the worst case scenario that this variant is highly infectious, that it causes a wave of infection, that it causes a wave of infection, that it causes serious cases and that it causes serious cases and that it causes serious cases and thatitis that it causes serious cases and that it is capable to some extent of evading the vaccine induced immunity... that have been vaccinated. and it is only by increasing those antibody levels, by giving extra boosters that we can achieve that.— giving extra boosters that we can achieve that. �* . achieve that. and we were hearing in the last hour — achieve that. and we were hearing in the last hour from _ achieve that. and we were hearing in the last hour from scotland's - achieve that. and we were hearing in the last hour from scotland's first i the last hour from scotland's first minister talking about the nine confirmed cases there, making the point that they believe they are all from one single event at this stage. i mean, we simply don't know yet do wejust how i mean, we simply don't know yet do we just how infectious this new variant is?— we just how infectious this new variant is? no. i mean, it is the one area _ variant is? no. i mean, it is the one area where _ variant is? no. i mean, it is the one area where we _ variant is? no. i mean, it is the one area where we do - variant is? no. i mean, it is the one area where we do have i variant is? no. i mean, it is the. one area where we do have some information. the simple fact that it is turning up in numerous countries and that there are certainly large numbers of cases in south africa indicates that it is an infectious variant. what isn't clear is just how infectious and whether, as we saw earlier in the year, the delta variant overtook the highly infectious alpha variant in a matter of four to six weeks and replaced entirely. that might be about to happen with omicron or it might not. we don't know that for sure. so it is the potential risk that we are worried about. so is the potential risk that we are worried about.— is the potential risk that we are worried about. so this comes back then, and worried about. so this comes back then. and i— worried about. so this comes back then, and i write, _ worried about. so this comes back then, and i write, time _ worried about. so this comes back then, and i write, time and - worried about. so this comes back then, and i write, time and again. worried about. so this comes back. then, and i write, time and again to getting a boosterjab is an insurance if you like. we don't know yet how ill someone might get, do we, if they contract the new variant? but this is a case of better safe than sorry. well, in terms of the — better safe than sorry. well, in terms of the question - better safe than sorry. well, in terms of the question of- better safe than sorry. well, in terms of the question of how i better safe than sorry. well, in i terms of the question of how ill you will get i think we will find out about this fairly soon because there are cases in south africa and a few cases here and we will find out what happens to those people as time goes forward. it takes a little while to get seriously ill with covid once you have contracted the virus. but we will learn about that soon. what we will learn about that soon. what we have got is very good data from a study that was done led by southampton that shows that if you give a booster at three months you get a very substantial rise in your antibody levels, well above actually what you achieve after the second dose. and so the thinking here is that if this variant is able to evade the antibodies that we have already got byjumping up the levels to an even higher level we can overcome that problem. so that is the reason that we have brought forward the boosters and we have widened out the number of people who can receive them. yes. widened out the number of people who can receive them.— can receive them. yes, all right. interesting _ can receive them. yes, all right. interesting to _ can receive them. yes, all right. interesting to talk _ can receive them. yes, all right. interesting to talk to _ can receive them. yes, all right. interesting to talk to you - can receive them. yes, all right. interesting to talk to you as i can receive them. yes, all right. | interesting to talk to you as ever. thank you for now. let's discuss the practicalities of the roll—out as well. joining me now is thorrun govind who is the chair of the royal pharmaceutical society and a community pharmacist in manchester. good afternoon. good afternoon. it is certainly — good afternoon. good afternoon. it is certainly an _ good afternoon. good afternoon. it is certainly an exciting _ good afternoon. good afternoon. it is certainly an exciting time - good afternoon. good afternoon. it is certainly an exciting time for i is certainly an exciting time for teams across the country comes to helping with the booster vaccine. i'm struck that you describe is exciting. you feel you are going to build to cope with the demand, do you? build to cope with the demand, do ou? �* , ,., , ~ build to cope with the demand, do ou? �* , ~ 4' ., ., ., you? absolutely. we know how vital this is to was _ you? absolutely. we know how vital this is to was as _ you? absolutely. we know how vital this is to was as a _ you? absolutely. we know how vital this is to was as a nation _ you? absolutely. we know how vital this is to was as a nation and - this is to was as a nation and getting involved even from the very start pharmacy teams were so keen to get involved with vaccinations. so we're really encouraging everyone to step up, get your booster vaccine, take up the offer, especially as we head into now. people have also been coming to pharmacies for their flu vaccines, so we are seeing so many people really wanting to get in there and getting themselves protected ahead of winter. in the last hour l _ protected ahead of winter. in the last hour i was _ protected ahead of winter. in the last hour i was talking _ protected ahead of winter. in the last hour i was talking to - protected ahead of winter. in the last hour i was talking to a i protected ahead of winter. in the last hour i was talking to a gp i last hour i was talking to a gp about how gp surgeries are managing to cope with the demand or otherwise, depending on their set up in their situation. we think anecdotally but we think a lot of our pharmacy is that we love using are pretty small premises in many cases. and you find yourself thinking, crikey, how are they going to cope with the demand? are we going to see people queueing down the block? what are you hearing from some of the people you represent about how they're going to be able to manage the situation? even though they're keen to help but still the logistics around all of this? well, i think the public _ logistics around all of this? well, i think the public are _ logistics around all of this? well, i think the public are very - i think the public are very understanding and know that we are here part of the local community. most people are only a 20 minute walk away from the local community pharmacy. so our accessibility, that we are small and agile in a number of different places means that it's really one of the benefits. and if we think about things like vaccine hesitancy, having to get on the tube or go on public transport may be access health care can be a problem for some people. so i think it is vital that we ensure that faxing services are always accessible locally and pharmacies really are a key part of that. locally and pharmacies really are a key part of that-— key part of that. that's interesting. _ key part of that. that's interesting. you i key part of that. that's interesting. you are i key part of that. that's - interesting. you are explaining key part of that. that's _ interesting. you are explaining well there how you are part of the community and proximity. have you found with previous doses of the jab that proximity to someone's home or work is actually beneficial? and people say to you, it was so easy for me to get this done, thank goodness you were so nearby kind of thing? goodness you were so nearby kind of thin ? ~ , ,., , goodness you were so nearby kind of thin? ~ , ~' ., goodness you were so nearby kind of thin? ~ , ~ ., ., thing? absolutely. i think more and more pharmacies _ thing? absolutely. i think more and more pharmacies want _ thing? absolutely. i think more and more pharmacies want to _ thing? absolutely. i think more and more pharmacies want to be - more pharmacies want to be involved in this. so we are keen to get out there and get involved with this, just like the flu vaccine roll—out, it has been amazing for local communities to know that it is not too far to access such a vital factor to in my vaccine. and as we head through winter it is a difficult time of the best of times but if we can all work together now with this new variant, hopefully we can see a bit of positivity in the new year. can see a bit of positivity in the new year-— new year. and a quick thought finally about _ new year. and a quick thought finally about vaccine _ new year. and a quick thought j finally about vaccine hesitancy. new year. and a quick thought i finally about vaccine hesitancy. i'm thinking of that proportion of the population that has chosen not to have a jab for whatever reason. i'm not talking about people who can't medically i'm talking about people who have chosen to. is there a role for local pharmacies like yourself in that? do you end up having no sort of conversations sometimes with someone who is still nervous about it? ~ , , someone who is still nervous about it? ~ , ., someone who is still nervous about it? absolutely and we have been doin: that it? absolutely and we have been doing that throughout _ it? absolutely and we have been doing that throughout this i it? absolutely and we have beenj doing that throughout this whole pandemic with other vaccines as well. i think people trust us as a local health care, accessible health care professional, you don't need an appointment. we are open weekends, late nights, so people see us or somewhere that is really accessible where they can really get the most important up—to—date latest information. because you are not seeing that if you are accessing that via social media perhaps. you need to be able to look someone face—to—face in the eyes and that conversation with them and be trusted. and we are trusted in our local communities.— local communities. really good to talk to you- _ local communities. really good to talk to you. thank _ local communities. really good to talk to you. thank you _ local communities. really good to talk to you. thank you very - local communities. really good to talk to you. thank you very much. chair of the royal pharmaceutical society and a pharmacist in manchester. well, we were listening in the last hour to scotland's first minister nicola sturgeon confirming that booster vaccines have been extended to everyone aged 18 and overin extended to everyone aged 18 and over in scotland. it came as she gave more details about the nine cases of omicron in scotland. let me say firstly that none of the people who have tested positive for this new variant have so far required hospital care. all nine were tested on or around the 23rd of november and because they had tested positive, they have all been self isolating. a surveillance look—back exercise had identified that the pcr test results in these cases showed what is called the s gene dropout. it is indicative of it. however however, holtjenny sequencing of these samples have confirmed that they are indeed the omicron variant. —— however, genome sequencing. however, while the contact tracing exercise is still ongoing, health protection teams have established that all nine cases are linked. they all trace back to a single private event on the 20th of november. indeed, we fully expect that there will be more cases identified over the coming days that are also linked to this event. in some of the lack of known travel in these cases does suggest that there is some community transmission of omicron already happening in scotland. however, the fact that all known cases are so far linked to this single event suggests that community transmission may still be limited. indeed, there is so far nothing in the wider look—back exercise that public health scotland has undertaken to suggest that community transmission of the new variant is either sustained or widespread. part of nicola sturgeon's _ sustained or widespread. part of nicola sturgeon's address i sustained or widespread. part of nicola sturgeon's address to i sustained or widespread. part of nicola sturgeon's address to s l sustained or widespread. part of- nicola sturgeon's address to s mps. our scotland correspondent james shaw also said nicola sturgeon addressed fears that this month's climate conference in glasgow may have had something to do with the spread of the virus. she also said there had been some suggestions it might be linked to cop26, the big climate conference that of course happened in glasgow last month. but she said that the timeline, the fact that this was on the 20th and cop26 finished on the 12th, suggested maybe that wasn't the case. and i think that what was also significantly she said she still confident that the virus could be controlled in scotland. case numbers were coming down. she wasn't calling for new protection measures, she was more saying that there should be increased compliance with the measures that are in case. things like wearing masks, testing, the travel restrictions and of course the passport, the certificate people have to use to get into certain venues like nightclubs. so it was a kind of mixed picture, jane, but i think on the whole nicola sturgeon appears to be confident that what the scottish government is doing at the moment should be enough to keep this new variant in check. fill" should be enough to keep this new variant in check.— variant in check. our scotland correspondent _ variant in check. our scotland correspondent james - variant in check. our scotland correspondent james shaw. i the changes to the rules on international travel represent another set back for the industry. but passengers at gatwick today said they understood why the changes were being introduced. our correspondent, charlotte gallagher reports. these passengers here at gatwick as some of the first to be affected by these new rules. the omicron variant was only reported to the world health organization last week but its impact is already being felt. anyone coming into the uk, apart from those inside the common travel area, will now have to take a pcr test by the end of the second day after their arrival and they will have to isolate until they receive a negative result. another blow for the travel industry. it is unwelcome news of cause for everyone. but i don't think we can say that, you know, we could say that this would never happen because i think there was always a possibility it could happen. for these passengers, it is a necessary inconvenience. i don't think too much about it, i think it was a good idea just to keep things on track to make sure, you know, keep control of this coronavirus. it comes into force at 4am this morning, it is taking money out of my pocket again i don't have. people will have to pay for pcr tests and some travel industry leaders are calling for them to be made available on the nhs for travellers. others say they have not had enough notice of the changes. unfortunately, the industry does not get information in good time ahead of government announcements so that we can make sure that customers are where they need to be in order to get them back in time. so incredibly difficult and incredibly frustrating. the uk isn't the only country to introduce new restrictions. british people planning skiing holidays to switzerland now face the prospect of quarantining for ten days on arrival. and from tomorrow, you will have to be fully vaccinated to go to spain. no one knows for certain the risks of this new variant but many countries are taking no chances. charlotte gallagher, bbc news. as we've been reporting, borisjohnson will be leading a downing street briefing at 4pm today. he'll be giving an update on the acceleration of the booster programme. and you can watch that right here on bbc news. the chief of mi6, britain's secret intelligence service, is warning that britain's spies need to work with global tech companies, to combat rising cyber threats. richard moore says the increasing complexity of the technology used by those who want to do harm, mean mi6�*s "boffins" can't compete alone. he's also been speaking about the global threat posed by china. our security correspondent frank gardner has been listening to richard moore and he told me about the warnings issued by the mi6 chief. so he took over in october last year. and this is somebody whose name until he took over was secret, was classified secret. hejoined mi6 back in 1987 back in a time when we didn't have the internet or phones or mobile phones rather. and in a completely different era. and what he is saying now is that there is this incredible technological race going on, where not only does mi6 risk getting left behind if they're not careful but the country's national security will be at risk if we are not keeping up on the vanguard of all these technological achievements. and what he's talking about here is things like ai, artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, synthetic manipulated biology, gene manipulation, things like that. the things that he says britain's adversaries is are doing. he means specifically russia and china. if we don't, we being him and mi6 he has it that i'm partner up with technological companies outside intelligence base they're going to get left behind. and it will be impossible for them to do their jobs. so i have to say that although this is ok, i get that they have to do this in order not to get left behind but there is an inherent risk in this for them because if they start going more open, as he is saying they're going to have to do, that is a fantastic opportunity potentially for britain's adversaries to get in there and try and steal those secrets. through subversion, blackmail and one thing and another. it is quite a bold move. but otherwise they're going to become an anachronism. that is potentially quite scary. is part of this a pitch for more staff, more resources for him? he is saying this is a major threat and we need to take this seriously. yes, any time any head of an intelligence service gives a speech there is an element of a crewman in there. his speech was they have to become more of all the three agencies, m15, mi6 and gchq, i would say that mi6 is the last really diversify. although he was very proud to say that they have got women in high places there, it is not as diverse as the others. m15 for example has won lots of awards lgbtq plus. he is very concerned about china, that is a huge preoccupation for them. he is saying that the tectonic plates have shifted in the last few years in china's favour. that they have not only become a huge economic power but they are doing advances in all sorts of technological areas where britain risks getting left behind. he said there are large—scale chinese intelligence operations going on in this country targeting the chinese diaspora. i'm sure this will be denied but he said it is very difficult now to spy on china because they have got this surveillance state where there are thousands if not millions of cameras everywhere, mapping every area using facial recognition, gait recognition, meaning spotting somebody from the way they walk, the way they move. so the old days of smuggling an intelligence officer into a country and pretending they're professor of academia isn't going to work because of the pops. actually, now this guy is an mi6 case officer. so difficult for them. they need to adapt if they're going to keep doing what they do. our security correspondent frank gardner. more than 45,000 homes in parts of scotland and the north of england remain without power due to the damage caused by storm arwen. numerous homes have been damaged in aberdeenshire and whole villages in cumbria have been left with no power. residents in perthshire and angus are also still waiting to be reconnected to the grid. energy providers say they're continuing to work on repairing the �*catastrophic�* damage to the network. it's not clear when power will be restored. more than 20,000 households across the north of england have spent a fourth night without power. our correspondent, alison freeman, has been in the village of blanch—land in northumberland, where the situation is said to be getting �*desperate'. yeah, this is just one of the places where some of those 20,000 or so houses across the north—east, we are talking about northumberland, county durham and north yorkshire still without power. there are also problems over the pennines in cumbria in some of the outlying villages there that have been heavily affected by snow. and with no power means no heating, no hot water, no hot food. on top of that some of these places simply haven't had any water supplies, freshwater supplies at all. they are also without mobile phone and internet and are starting to feel really quite isolated there. now, we know that in a lot of these communities the frustration they're starting to feel is that they are being given times when the power is meant to be coming back on but those deadlines simply aren't being met. northern power grid, which covers this part of the country, says it has been dealing with hundreds of incidences of power cables being knocked out by storm arwen and it is doing everything it can to deal with them but people here tell me that they are starting to feel forgotten. what they are doing is relying on places like the local pub which is helping to check up on the elderly and use its generator to charge up everything from hearing aids to ipads and mobile phones. so as i say, it is that sense of community that is really keeping people going. we will have a weather forecast for you wherever you are in the country coming up in the next few minutes. the conservative mp, sir geoffrey cox, has said his use of an office in the house of commons for private legal work isn't being investigated by the parliamentary watchdog. video of the former attorney—general shows him representing the british virgin islands government from there via zoom. with me now is our political correspondent ione wells. initially, this investigation was sort of launched because labour decided to report so geoffrey cox for what they saw as a breach of the rules mps have to follow. because in a video he was seen representing the government of the british virgin islands from what appeared to be his parliamentary office. mps aren't supposed to use parliamentary resources, whether that be their offices or even house of commons headed note paperfor any kind of financial gain to themselves, isn't related to their parliamentary work. so labour decided to report the mp but it is now being confirmed that he is not being investigated by the independent standards commissioner for mps, whojudges their independent standards commissioner for mps, who judges their behaviour and any breaches of the code of conduct. now, we understand that katherine stone, the independent parliamentary commissioner decided that there wasn't sufficient evidence to launch an investigation into sir geoffrey cox. and also pointed to the fact that the standards committee in parliament has said that those rules should be applied proportionately. so it doesn't seem like this investigation into him or go any further or is going to be taken up by the independent standards commissioner, although labour still standing by their decision to report him. but this all comes at a time when really standards in public life, standards of mps and mps taken up second jobs has really come under intense scrutiny the last couple of weeks. just yesterday, parliament standards committee which is a party group of mps publish their own report into recommendations about how they think the mps code of conduct should be updated. they are proposing a ban on any kind of paid consultancy work for mps and also say that mps who are taking up second jobs should seek permission from the standards commissioner before they do so to make sure that it does comply with the rules that mps have to follow in order to carry out their day—to—day jobs. now at number ten said yesterday that they will be considering that report along with others. they are committed to upholding the highest standards in parliament, they said. now it's time for a look at the weather with stav. temperatures will be a bit up and down this week. we started the week off on a very cold note. it is much milder today but rather cloudy and damp. for wednesday, thursday, it will turn colder again with sunny spells and showers. some of them will be wintry in places particularly over northern hills. we've got this area of low pressure slipping its way south eastwards and that is going to arrive this evening. the first part of the night bringing stronger winds and areas of heavy rain for north—west of the uk. but wrapped in it we can see this plume of milder air, the orange and yellow colours indicating that. but the blue colours will be making a return tonight and certainly into tomorrow. wet across northern areas this evening into the first part of the night, that heavy rain spreads its way south—eastward. it will be followed by clear spells and blustery showers, some of them have a wintry flavour in the western areas. it will be windy as well, winds touching gale force across them irish sea coast. not as mild as what it was last night with lows of 4—9 degrees. hello this is bbc news. the headlines... boris johnson describes new coronavirus restrictions in england, as "the right approach" and says the booster programme is vital, to beat the new variant. what we do know is that the boosters can give _ what we do know is that the boosters can give you — what we do know is that the boosters can give you a lot of protection against — can give you a lot of protection against all types of the virus and that is— against all types of the virus and that is overwhelmingly likely at any rate. that is overwhelmingly likely at any rate the _ that is overwhelmingly likely at any rate. the crucial thing is for everybody now to come out and get your boosters. from today, face coverings must be worn in shops, and on public transport in england, unless you're exempt. also from today anyone arriving in the uk must take a pcr test within two days, and isolate until they get a negative result. some in business and the travel industry, are concerned. the head of mi6 wants more co—operation with tech companies, to counter rising cyber threats. five days after storm arwen, tens of thousands are still without power. sport and a full round up, from the bbc sport centre. good afternoon. three of the home nations are in women's world cup qualifying action later. england play latvia, wales take on france and scotland have travelled to seville to play spain. if they win, they will top the group but the scotland head coach, pedro martinez losa is spanish and says his side have a difficult game ahead of them. we will have to play our best match so far, we will have to be in all the contest, defensive aspect and position of the ball otherwise, if we do that with the character and spirit of the team we have proven before. and also with some little tactical preparation we will find our opportunities to be competitive. as we mentioned, england play latvia and striker ellen white is aiming to break records in their world cup qualifier. white could become england's female all time scorer, she needs just one goal to equal kelly smith's record of 46. teammate beth mead says white has always been an inspiration for her. i've looked up to ellen for a long time, before i was in the england set—up. now that i'm here playing alongside her, and learning from her playing day in, day out in training, in games. and, yeah, she's someone i would love to replicate scoring goals like, so i'm learning a lot from her and hopefully she can help me in myjourney as well as i can help in hers. wales have a tough task as they take on top seeds france away. wales coach gemma grainger says it's an chance to test themselves against one of the world's best. our expectations are very high in terms of the performance that we want to put on. it's a real opportunity for us to see where we are as a team, and that's what we view it as, it's an opportunity for us to go out there and continue the form that we've had, and why wouldn't we do that, what would you change? why would we change that, you know, going to france? so for us it's a real positive and for me personally, you know, at the end of this game we're going to know a lot about where we are in ourjourney. the ashes are to start next week, but there are growing concerns about the fifth test, scheduled to be hosted in perth, because of the states�* strict coronavirus rules. the authorities say all players and staff will have to quarentine for 14 days after entering perth, despite the fourth test finishing just five days earlier in sydney. the first test gets underway on the 8th of december at the gabba in brisbane and the england players who've been in isolation after arriving from the t20 world cup have now joined up with the rest of the squad. i think the excitement really builds today. five of us have been to the gold coast away from the main group so it is great to see those faces when it arrived at the hotel and felt like an ashes squad. we can all get back together and stop practising together. in a way it's surreal that the matter starting on a week's time. i'm sure everyone involved in the game of cricket is really excited by that prospect. to rugby union and nine of munster�*s players and staff have tested positive for coronavirus whilst staying in south africa. the club is one of four european sides in capetown, scheduled to play in the united rugby championship last weekend, before the matches were postponed because of the emergence on the omicron variant. scarlets and zebre have managed to leave the country, but munster and cardiff who have reported two positive cases will have to stay. there is obviously concerned to get home, there is a visually concerned around the new variant there is obvious he can turn it's obviously very difficult to be doing in effect a self—imposed quarantine in south africa so far from home. so paramount importance to us is to get them home. some breaking news this afternoon, leicester women have appointed a new manager. england youth coach lydia bedford will be on secondment as their new manager until the end of the wsl season. jonathan morgan left leicester last week after seven years. you can find more on that story on the bbc sport website. that's all the sport for now. the caribbean island of barbados has become the world's newest republic, after replacing the queen as its head of state with a new president. at a ceremony overnight, the prince of wales acknowledged that british history had been stained by the atrocity of slavery. from bridgetown, daniela relph reports. the world's newest republic, and a show of national pride. this constitutional shift in barbados is about asserting self—confidence and shedding the links to its colonial past. some of this country's most well—known names were among the vip guests attending the transition ceremony. and also here to watch it all play out, the prince of wales, invited to see his mother removed as head of state. the first time that has happened anywhere in 30 years. for the final time on this caribbean island, he viewed a military march past and took the final salute. and then the symbolic moment of transition. as the royal standard was lowered over barbados, it became a republic. bell tolls. it's hard to imagine that this event wasn't tinged with some sadness for the prince of wales. he has focused on the enduring friendship between the two nations, but also spoken directly about the pain of a shared history. from the darkest days of our past, and the appalling atrocity of slavery, which forever stains are history, the people of this island forged their path with extraordinary fortitude. emancipation, self—government and independence were your way points. freedom, justice and self—determination have been your guides. an acknowledgement of the past as this island looked forward and swore in its first ever president. i, sandra prunella mason, do swear that i will be faithful and bear true allegiance to barbados, according to law, so help me god. casting aside the official link to the british monarchy, barbados is increasingly looking east, to china, for financial support. there are republican rumblings, too, in other caribbean nations. they will be watching this newest republic closely. daniela relph, bbc news, bridgetown, barbados. nato foreign ministers are meeting in latvia, to discuss the build—up of russian forces, on the border with ukraine. the us secretary of state, antony blinken, seen here meeting the latvian prime minister, has also held talks with his nato counterparts about the growing numbers of migrants gathering on poland's border with belarus. our europe editor katya adler has been speaking to the polish prime minister, about the threat posed by russia. gives you the impression of a man on a mission, he wants to drive home to all of us and his allies in nato and in the european union as well, that threat that he perceives from vladimir putin in moscow and his ally in belarus. and what he's saying is that the west has to join the dots more, see what's going on in all of the region. so whether it's about the migrant crisis on poland's border with belarus being talked about in nato today, the buildup of russian troops on ukraine's border also being talked about in nato or those soaring gas prices that are making all of us suffer right now, that poland is convinced that moscow is behind it all. we are now confronted with a series of different risks and different crises around us. and we have to wake up from this geopolitical nap. we should collectively work towards different options, how to de—escalate this, how to deal with those risks and what to do to actually diminish the power of mr lukashenko, mr putin, president putin, to destabilise this part of the world, europe in particular. now, the polish prime minister is clearly asking the west for help. on friday, he was with borisjohnson in london and the prime minister said, and we heard this again from the us today, that they are warning russia from taking any new action in ukraine. now, russia dismisses all of this. it says it has no intention to attack anyone and it denies it's trying to destabilise wider europe and particularly the european union. but what poland's prime minister told me and he'll be saying again in nato today, is that he feels he knows that region better than most in the west. he neighbours belarus, neighbours, russia and ukraine as well. he says there's real cause for concern and real need for immediate action. the campaign group, human rights watch, says dozens of former members of the security forces in afghanistan, have either disappeared or been killed since the taliban seized control of the country in august. it says the amnesty promised by the new leaders, hasn't stopped local commanders from targetting formersoldiers, police and intelligence officers. our correspondent, secunder kermani, has sent us this report, from the capital, kabul. researchers working on this report have gone into great detail, tracing dozens of examples of the killings or extrajudicial detentions of former members of the afghan security forces, and these are details that are increasingly difficult to ascertain with, for example, many localjournalists having fled the country, those that remain understandably afraid of reporting that is critical of the taliban. and when the group came to power in august, they did declare a general amnesty for all those linked to the previous government. and it's certainly not the case that every single former policeman, former soldier has been targeted in this way or even that the vast majority of them have been targeted in this way. but this report looked at just four of afghanistan's 34 provinces and found there were credible allegations of more than 100 killings. now, former members of the security forces were meant to obtain letters of forgiveness from the taliban, was handing in their weapons. but according to human rights watch, the taliban at times used that as an opportunity to detain and then kill some of them at other times. human rights watch said the taliban were able to access employment records and use that information to target former members of the security forces in raids on their homes and on theirfamilies homes. now, the taliban have unsurprisingly rejected the findings of this report. they have created a commission, they say, to to root out abuses committed by their fighters. but so far, they admit that no one has been punished for any kind of killing of this kind. a co—founder of the neo—nazi terror group national action has been convicted of remaining a member after it was banned. ben raymond from swindon, was convicted of staying in the organisation after it was banned in december 2016. a jury at bristol crown court also found him guilty of two charges of possessing information useful to a terrorist. he is the 17th person convicted of national action membership. chief superintendent kenny bell is from west midlands police we have done an immense investigation and at the moment 16 of the people have been brought to justice as being members of that described group and in all of the evidence we have reviewed from those investigations has led us to conclude on the jury have accepted that he has been the co—founder and the architect on the leader of that group. the architect on the leader of that urou -. ., . . group. how much influence did he have on neo-nazis _ group. how much influence did he have on neo-nazis who _ group. how much influence did he have on neo-nazis who became i have on neo—nazis who became involved in serious terrorism plots? our evidence has shown he has a lot of contact with people who have gone on to commit the violent acts both in terms of either hate crime of violent crime or acts of terrorism, our evidence has shown he has significant contact with them. our correspondent daniel sandford is here how significant a figure is this man? . , how significant a figure is this man? ., , ., how significant a figure is this man? . , ., , .., man? he was a significant figure in national action. _ man? he was a significant figure in nationalaction. he _ man? he was a significant figure in national action. he was _ man? he was a significant figure in national action. he was a - man? he was a significant figure in i national action. he was a co-founder national action. he was a co—founder and was ace creative force and created a lot of the propaganda used to entice mitt largely young men, often people at university, into the group. they had borrowed ideas from islamist terrorist groups like islamic state, very glossy kind of propaganda videos, they talked about white jihad and their whole idea was to create a race war in britain which they would become the vanguard essentially of the white population of britain. that was the idea. very dangerous group which was ultimately prescribed by the home secretary, banned by the home secretary in 2016. what happened is, former members of national action went on the operated in little cells. the evidence that has come out through these previous trials that detective superintendent was talking about there, ben raymond was there or thereabouts in many of these groups. for example, there was jack ranger who was convicted of trying to kill an mp. ben raymond was in touch with members of that grouping. there was a group in the west midlands, he seemed to be in amongst that group. those people who are going on doing quite dangerous things, accumulating weapons, preparing explosives, after the group was banned, he has remained in touch with all of them and that has led to his conviction today. shill and that has led to his conviction toda . �* , . let's get more now on the continuing power outages across scotland and the north east of england. 45,000 are still without power. earlier i spoke with former lib dem mp malcolm bruce, now sitting in the house of lords, who lives in torphins in aberdeenshire. i asked him about what he's experiencing following storm arwen. the power went off at around six o'clock— the power went off at around six o'clock on — the power went off at around six o'clock on friday night and it is still not — o'clock on friday night and it is still not back on. people haven't fully realised not only were we without — fully realised not only were we without power but all the mobile phone _ without power but all the mobile phone signals went down so people have no— phone signals went down so people have no mobile phone or internet connection — have no mobile phone or internet connection. in addition to which, bt were _ connection. in addition to which, bt were in_ connection. in addition to which, bt were in the — connection. in addition to which, bt were in the process of switching away _ were in the process of switching away from — were in the process of switching away from analog to bt voice which means— away from analog to bt voice which means landlines which previously would _ means landlines which previously would have worked even in a power cut were _ would have worked even in a power cut were no — would have worked even in a power cut were no longer working. for many people. _ cut were no longer working. for many people. they— cut were no longer working. for many people, they were cut off. all kinds of announcements about where they might— of announcements about where they might get— of announcements about where they might get help or what was going on, they couldn't access. the information was not getting through. it information was not getting through. it was _ information was not getting through. it was a _ information was not getting through. it was a much, much more severe situation — it was a much, much more severe situation it— it was a much, much more severe situation. it is improving. the community has responded in many ways _ community has responded in many ways. those who have got the power are offering — ways. those who have got the power are offering to help those who have not. are offering to help those who have not the _ are offering to help those who have not. the church has opened up to provide _ not. the church has opened up to provide people with heat and access to wi-fi _ provide people with heat and access to wi-fi so— provide people with heat and access to wi—fi so they can communicate with the _ to wi—fi so they can communicate with the outside world. nevertheless, it is still pretty grim — nevertheless, it is still pretty grim and _ nevertheless, it is still pretty grim and we have no indication when our part— grim and we have no indication when our part of— grim and we have no indication when our part of the village and other communities will be connected because — communities will be connected because the authorities say they are working _ because the authorities say they are working hard that they can't tell us precisely — working hard that they can't tell us precisely. every deadline they have given _ precisely. every deadline they have given it _ precisely. every deadline they have given it has left at least 24 hours. that is _ given it has left at least 24 hours. that is really grim, everything you described. are your neighbours, the people that live near near you, to what extent have they been able to get any updates? people who are more vulnerable, have they had help on the priority register? what is your sense of some people who are worse off than yourself? we sense of some people who are worse off than yourself?— off than yourself? we are resilience, _ off than yourself? we are resilience, i— off than yourself? we are resilience, i think, - off than yourself? we are resilience, i think, we i off than yourself? we are i resilience, i think, we have off than yourself? we are - resilience, i think, we have coped resilience, ithink, we have coped and we _ resilience, ithink, we have coped and we are — resilience, ithink, we have coped and we are luckier than many. for many, _ and we are luckier than many. for many, i— and we are luckier than many. for many, i think, and we are luckier than many. for many, ithink, the and we are luckier than many. for many, i think, the community services — many, i think, the community services have responded but it took a while _ services have responded but it took a while we — services have responded but it took a while. we are talking about an effort, _ a while. we are talking about an effort, an— a while. we are talking about an effort, an area of probably 40 miles across— effort, an area of probably 40 miles across was— effort, an area of probably 40 miles across was completely blacked out, no phone _ across was completely blacked out, no phone signal, no powers or people to travel— no phone signal, no powers or people to travel a _ no phone signal, no powers or people to travel a long way to get a summer which _ to travel a long way to get a summer which had _ to travel a long way to get a summer which had power and which had a phone _ which had power and which had a phone signal. some people were doing in order— phone signal. some people were doing in order to _ phone signal. some people were doing in order to get information. the community, neighbours, help each other— community, neighbours, help each other out — community, neighbours, help each other out. this has been going on for days— other out. this has been going on for days and — other out. this has been going on for days and a lot more is being done _ for days and a lot more is being done including by the electricity companies that are providing hot food vans— companies that are providing hot food vans and providing water for people _ food vans and providing water for people because in some cases the water— people because in some cases the water has — people because in some cases the water has been off. it has almost been _ water has been off. it has almost been like — water has been off. it has almost been like a — water has been off. it has almost been like a third world incident, the police — been like a third world incident, the police have designated it as a major— the police have designated it as a major incident. at the moment, we don't _ major incident. at the moment, we don't know— major incident. at the moment, we don't know when it is going to end. malcolm _ don't know when it is going to end. malcolm bruce, who lives in aberdeenshire, telling me about the situation there. the full weather prospects coming up. a volcano on the spanish island of la palma, which has been erupting for more than ten weeks, is showing no signs of abating. a new vent has just opened triggering a new lava stream, and sending huge clouds of smoke into the sky. tanya dendrinos reports. for more than 70 days, the cumbre vieja volcano has been spewing lava, swallowing homes, businesses and farmland. it's destroyed almost 3,000 buildings, decimated the banana growing industry and forced the evacuation of thousands of residents. this video released on monday shows the rapid flow of lava covering around a meter per second and the eruption shows no sign of abating. a new vent has recently opened, sending the lava in a new direction. translation: we've been surprised i by this new vent which has caused i this new lava flow to go outside of the area that was affected until now. the army has been monitoring emissions from the new fissure translation: we've been surprised i by this new vent which has caused i as concerns grow about toxic gases. and there are other fears too. spain's national geographic institute has recorded at least 50 earthquakes in the past couple of days, the accumulation of ash is also causing problems, forcing the closure of the airport on a number of occasions. this eruption will go down in history, tipped to become la palma's longest in 500 years. tania adrenals, bbc news. france is preparing to honour the singer and activist, josephine baker, with a place in the pantheon, the resting place for the nation's heroes. she'll be the first black woman to be memorialised there, and is honoured for her work on civil rights, and the part she played in the resistance during the second world war. president macron and members of herfamily, will be among those at the ceremony, as our paris correspondent, lucy williamson, reports. a young woman from across the atlantic who became a new kind almost a century ago, paris met josephine baker. a young woman from across the atlantic who became a new kind of celebrity in a city that was hungry for american idols. josephine baker was the girl who left st louis to come to europe to find freedom. baker had fled segregation in missouri and was enchanted with the freedom and acceptance she found in france. but there was racism here, too — both in her roles on stage and in her daily life. madame josephine... speaking to the bbc years later, she explained how she fought against it, adopting 12 children from around the world that she nicknamed her rainbow tribe. these children represent an example of real brotherhood. they show to people that it is possible to live together if we so wish to. one of her children says he never thought his mother was cool until he learned mickjagger was a fan. she was very protective, very close to us, when she was there, because sometimes she was away. and she wanted for us a good education, so sometimes she could be a little bit strict when we are doing bad things. baker used her celebrity to campaign against racism and intolerance and also to pass information for the french resistance during the second world war. this is one of the greatest honours in france can bestow — a seat in the resting place of its national heroes. josephine baker is the first black woman to be honoured here, a member of france's wartime resistance movement and a lifelong campaigner against racism. tonight, almost a century after she performed there, josephine baker will be honoured at the bal blomet nightclub in paris with a tribute show. i'm not trying to bejosephine, i can't bejosephine, she's too... it's enormous, she is too big for me. idealist and idol, singer and spy, her trademark song j'ai deux amours a lovesong to paris. the city that claimed her and has never let her go. lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. we are edging up to that downing street briefing. new figures just threw in the last few moments, a further eight cases of the new variant of coronavirus have been confirmed in england. it brings the total ning lead to 13. if you are watching at the last hour you will have heard the scottish first minister talking about the nine cases there. now it's time for a look at the weather with stav. temperatures will be up and down through this week. it started very cold, it is very mild today, temperatures in double figures and thenit temperatures in double figures and then it turns colder again towards then it turns colder again towards the latter parts. it'll be a bit milder on friday. we've got a lot of cloud around with this mild plume of air today, courtesy of this area of low pressure. it will be pushing in across the uk through the day bringing increasing amounts of rain and stronger winds. you can see the orange and yellow of the warmer air. there is a lot of cloud with this moisture laden air. most of the rain will be further north and we will see it popping up with strengthening winds across the north west. he will be lucky if you catch some century, most places will stay rather cloudy but despite that those temperatures in double figures for most, certainly on the mainland and still quite cold for shetland. only three degrees. as it moves through this evening and overnight, the low pressure deepens and as it pushes south—east was, more isobars developing so it will turn windy across many areas with gales developing across some irish sea coasts. they will be some heavy rain pushing in followed by blustery showers. they will turn wintry over the higher ground of scotland as we engage some cold air. tonight will be a chilly night. we are under that mild night across the south—east to start wednesday but it won't be long until those blue and mint green colours take over. it'll be a chilly day for wednesday, the wind coming in from the north. sunshine and showers sums it up quite nicely, some of those will be wintry on the hills in the north but we will see longer spells of rain pushing down parts of england and wales. double figures there, a range of around four to seven or 8 degrees in the south. we will have a run of northerly winds were sunshine and showers. we'll start to see a ridge of high pressure building into the western that will kill off many of these showers and we will see increasing cloud. a chilly day with temperatures down in the low single figures. it is milder on friday, certainly for england and wales, but with that in stronger winds and outbreaks of rain. you are watching bbc news, i am jane hill and we are expecting a news briefing in the next few minutes from the prime minister, boris johnson. we are expecting to hear more in the increase of the booster campaign. boosterjabs for, campaign. booster jabs for, particularly campaign. boosterjabs for, particularly in light of the new variant of coronavirus. also today, those new restrictions all come into force in england and brings england into line with a lot of the things that have been happening in the rest of the uk. let's get smart on that with our political correspondent chris mason as we wait for this news briefing to begin. we wait to hear more from the prime minister but also mps have got to vote on coronavirus regulations as well. that vote is taking place in the commons right now. injust the that vote is taking place in the commons right now. in just the last few minutes, we heard from the vaccines administered. it wasn't a hugely well attended debate. there was a noisy collection of conservative mps who are sceptical about the reimposition of these measures in england. we heard about than articulated by those backbenchers repeatedly. there was particular frustration in an interview that their chief executive of the health authority, the health agency this morning, health security agency this morning, health security agency on the today programme on radio four where she had said she thought it was worthwhile people considering limiting their socialising as a result of the omicron variant. the minister echoing the prime minister at lunchtime saying, no, the governments policy is there is no suggested advice on how we behave beyond the addition of the imposition of masks on public transport and in shops. more broadly, some of us conservative sceptics also suggesting they fear these regulations could amount to a slippery slope that whilst they don't stop for instance, schools hosting nativity plays, schools might be tempted to because they sniff the direction of travel that these regulations might hint at. noisy opposition from a small number of conservative mps, highly likely these measures will pass very comfortably with the support of the labour party. this was a retrospective discussion because of you has been saying these measures kicked in at four o'clock this morning in england. mps only consulted after they had become the law of the land. consulted after they had become the law of the land-— law of the land. we are hearing the news, it law of the land. we are hearing the news. it is — law of the land. we are hearing the news. it is going — law of the land. we are hearing the news, it is going to _ law of the land. we are hearing the news, it is going to be _ law of the land. we are hearing the news, it is going to be a _ law of the land. we are hearing the news, it is going to be a few - news, it is going to be a few minutes late.