appeal for everyone who's eligible to get a boosterjab. new guidance is issued for care homes in england that will limit visitors to three for each resident as omicron cases surge. britain warned russia it will face severe _ britain warned russia it will face severe consequences if it invades ukraine — severe consequences if it invades ukraine. , , ukraine. the g7 meeting is discussing _ ukraine. the g7 meeting is discussing the _ ukraine. the g7 meeting is discussing the rising - ukraine. the g7 meeting is i discussing the rising tensions. welcome to bbc news. we start in the united states. president biden has described a series of tornadoes that have swept across parts of america's south and midwest as devastating. quite extraordinary footage has been emerging of the scale of the destruction. in southern illinois, drawn footage showed a collapsed amazon warehouse in edwardsville, the roof had fallen in. and the governor of kentucky in the last hour has said at least 70 people have been killed in his state alone. he said that figure could in fact rise to more than 100. many of the people who died were working in a candle factory in the town of mayfield. just in the last hour or so, i spoke to the meteorologist noah berghan. he spoke to he was in mayfield, kentucky, one of the locations hit by the tornado and he showed me the extent of the damage. that's the best explanation of this i can give you. i've been covering and following whether for my entire professional career and i speak for every meteorologist both in the united states and around the world that whether it's a hurricane or a tornado or a blizzard, it's one thing when we know the potential of the atmosphere, it's another thing when it actually becomes a reality and every meteorologist�*s worst fear is when the worst case happens and that's what we have here. this very well may be the longest tracking tornado in united states history. 0n the ground for over 200 miles and we arejust looking at a small piece of those 200 miles. goodness. and people's houses, livelihoods, businesses, in many, many cases, they've just gone? two weeks before christmas, yeah. i mean, the amazing thing is we have not had as many deaths or casualties as... if you just looked at this, i mean, the fact that people survive some of these houses that we are going by is remarkable and there's christmas, it's two weeks till christmas, there's christmas decorations that are miles from here, the degree that was lofted from this tornado was up at about 35,000 feet, so when you hop on a commercial airliner, that's about the altitude that you're cruising out, maybe a little bit higher if you're going across the atlantic, and the degree from this tornado was actually dropped miles and miles from the actual tornado. i mean, i don't even know how to describe it other than showing this to you and for anybody who's never lived in an area of the world that gets tornadoes, this is the result. it's utter devastation. noah, it looks like a war zone. i mean, will some of the people in this town have got out? will they have tried to flee before the storm hit? so at our television station, we gave everybody advance notice that if they did not have a tornado shelter or... head north, and a lot of people, we have already spoken to some, did get out and were out of town as soon as we give them that warning and they got it, drove in their car and left. so, yes, a lot of people did leave town and thankfully were not here for it, but unfortunately, some of the people that were here were in that factory and many of them did not make it, but, i mean, it honestly looks like a bomb went off. i don't know any other way to describe it. and i don't either, i mean, that is absolutely how it looks to our viewers who are seeing this right now on the bbc, this is the absolute heart of the storm there in kentucky and some people who had the ways and means to get out before the storm hit were the lucky ones. i guess if you don't own a car, you can't get out. it doesn't bear thinking about. that is correct. let me show you some more, we just got out. so yesterday, it was almost 80 degrees and it was humid and we're wearing a jacket and a winter hat now because it's in the 20s and 30s. the contrast, i mean, i don't know how this looks to you guys via our cell connection and around the world, but this is flat. if you looked at this on google earth, there would be a house there, a business there, a bank there and it's just licked clean. there's nothing left. i mean, there's brick buildings, there is pieces of bricks, but if you were in a mobile home or a poorly manufactured house, you were not surviving this. that is one thing i can tell you. that was meteorologist noah berghan speaking to me from kentucky. perhaps about an hour and a half ago orso perhaps about an hour and a half ago or so and since we spoke to him, we have had a news conference and an update from the governor of kentucky, lots of people working in the emergency services as well, but let's hear a little more from the governor who said that, sadly, he thinks the death toll is going to rise. , ., , , thinks the death toll is going to rise. , , rise. this has been the most devastating _ rise. this has been the most devastating tornado - rise. this has been the most devastating tornado events | rise. this has been the most| devastating tornado events in rise. this has been the most - devastating tornado events in our state's history. and for those that have seen it, what it has done here in grace county and elsewhere, it is indescribable. the level of devastation is unlike anything i have ever seen. you see parts of industrial building roofs or sidings and trees if trees are lucky enough to stand, huge metal poles bent in half if not broken, buildings that are no longer there, huge trucks that have been picked up and thrown and sadly far too many homes that people were likely in entirely devastated.— people were likely in entirely devastated. , , , , devastated. this is probably the tou . hest devastated. this is probably the toughest day — devastated. this is probably the toughest day of _ devastated. this is probably the toughest day of my _ devastated. this is probably the toughest day of my life - devastated. this is probably the toughest day of my life right - devastated. this is probably the i toughest day of my life right here. when _ toughest day of my life right here. when you — toughest day of my life right here. when you run for office, you don't know _ when you run for office, you don't know what — when you run for office, you don't know what to expect, but when you see your _ know what to expect, but when you see your communities and your county in this— see your communities and your county in this kind _ see your communities and your county in this kind of— see your communities and your county in this kind of situation, it's tough _ in this kind of situation, it's tough it's_ in this kind of situation, it's tough. it's tough in our communities, it's tough on our families — communities, it's tough on our families. you know, last night, i was with— families. you know, last night, i was with my family and i was watching... we were watching the storm _ watching... we were watching the storm and — watching... we were watching the storm and we were watching noah and trent with _ storm and we were watching noah and trent with the weather, the local six, trent with the weather, the local six. and — trent with the weather, the local six, and those folks did a really good _ six, and those folks did a really good joh— six, and those folks did a really good job of informing what was going to happen, _ good job of informing what was going to happen, but i had an eerie feeling — to happen, but i had an eerie feeling about it, i could tell you that _ feeling about it, i could tell you that i— feeling about it, i could tell you that. i didn't really feel good that. ididn't really feel good about— that. i didn't really feel good about it _ that. i didn't really feel good about it and as this thing was, as the governor said, for the 200 miles it was— the governor said, for the 200 miles it was on— the governor said, for the 200 miles it was on the — the governor said, for the 200 miles it was on the ground, watching it head _ it was on the ground, watching it head towards graves county, you know, _ head towards graves county, you know. it — head towards graves county, you know, it was a reality at that time. so i know, it was a reality at that time. so i went— know, it was a reality at that time. so i went back and said to you all, what _ so i went back and said to you all, what we _ so i went back and said to you all, what we need from everyone is we need _ what we need from everyone is we need your— what we need from everyone is we need your prayers, we need your heio _ need your prayers, we need your hel. ~ . , ., need your prayers, we need your hel. ., ,., , ., , need your prayers, we need your help. the mayor of graves county and makin: help. the mayor of graves county and making reference _ help. the mayor of graves county and making reference to _ help. the mayor of graves county and making reference to watching - help. the mayor of graves county and making reference to watching noah, i making reference to watching noah, who was the meteorologist who we had just spoken to and who has given us thatjust just spoken to and who has given us that just extraordinary footage just spoken to and who has given us thatjust extraordinary footage of the devastation there. we will keep you up—to—date with everything there from the central us as all the authorities are very concerned that the death toll will rise. the uk is facing a substantial wave of omicron infections injanuary and less restrictions more extensive than those announced on wednesday are introduced. that is the money from a group of scientist this that is the warning from a group of scientist this afternoon. researchers from the london school of hygiene and tropical medicine also say that depending on how well vaccines perform, the new variant could cause between 25000 and 75,000 deaths by the end of april. the study they are basing their conclusions on has not yet been peer—reviewed. dr nick davies is assistant professor of mathematical modelling at the london school of hygiene and tropical medicine. he says the spread of the latest variant should be a concern for the government here and abroad. well, we've been using our models to help interpret, understand and project forwards possible dynamics of the coronavirus really throughout the academic and we've just updated our models to include the spread of the new omicron variant in england and based on the data that were getting in from england and from around the world, we're projecting that this new spread of the omicron variant is likely to lead to a substantial wave of infections in the new year, specifically injanuary, and potentially another wave of admissions, hospitaladmissions and deaths associated with that. much more on all those stories coming up in the next couple of minutes as viewersjoin coming up in the next couple of minutes as viewers join us on bbc one for the minutes as viewers join us on bbc one forthe main minutes as viewers join us on bbc one for the main bulletin tonight with clive mhairi. let's pause and take a look at the weather prospects with susan. plenty of cloud streaming across the uk at the moment, further rain to come into the evening, but some very mild air getting pulled up from the south, courtesy of this area of low pressure, so actually our temperatures are above average for the time of year as we move through the time of year as we move through the evening and overnight. quite wet, particularly for england and wales into the evening, skies clearing, just in isolated showers for scotland and northern ireland, but temperatures holding up above freezing aside from perhaps on the more sheltered glens of scotland. generally lows to the north of the uk, 67, very mild to the south of this band of rain, overnight lows of 11 or 12 and is because we are pulling up this warm air from a 11 or 12 and is because we are pulling up this warm airfrom a long way south in the atlantic and you can see me pull it almost all the way across the uk, like a warm blanket through the course of sunday, and we do so as this whether france swings up from the south, some early rain for north wales, the midlands, through the afternoon for northern england and northern ireland, later in the day also that rain getting into southern scotland. temperatures low to the south of the rain could be even up to 15 degrees and one or two spots, quite a lot of cloud around but i think a few brighter spells in the east. sunday night into monday, looks like it could be very windy to the north—west of the uk as we are at the centre of this area of low pressure pushing through, gales for the northern and western isles. we will see the low pulling away through monday daytime but it stays breezy here and there will be some fairly frequent showers, could be wintry on the highest ground and cooler air sinks in to northern ireland, scotland and northern england, saw temperatures back down because it average here but the mild air is still to the south, daytime highs of 12 or 13, there will be some rain to england and wales through monday that pulls away on tuesday. again, wet and windy to the far north of the uk, through the early part of the week, but from wednesday onwards, it is all about that area of low high pressure building from the south and it looks like it locks out anything colder getting into the uk, so through the week ahead, the focus is very much on things being pretty mild, no sign of significant frost and as the week pans out, the weather becomes fairly settled. it could be quite grey and gloomy, however. good afternoon. health officials have renewed their call for everyone who's eligible, to get their covid boosterjab, as new modelling suggests the uk could be facing a bigger wave of infections than back injanuary. the new omicron variant is thought to be spreading quickly. however there remains uncertainty, about how many people may need hospital care, and how much pressure will be on the nhs. here's our health correspondent, katharine da costa. like at vaccine centres around the uk including this one in grimsby the race is on to get even more jabs into arms and boost our defences against what may become the biggest wave of covid infections we have seen so far. it’s wave of covid infections we have seen so far-— seen so far. it's more worrying i think, because _ seen so far. it's more worrying i think, because we _ seen so far. it's more worrying i think, because we don't - seen so far. it's more worrying i think, because we don't know. seen so far. it's more worrying i - think, because we don't know exactly what is going to happen, so it is betterjust to be what is going to happen, so it is better just to be safe. what is going to happen, so it is betterjust to be safe. i what is going to happen, so it is betterjust to be safe.— what is going to happen, so it is betterjust to be safe. better 'ust to be safe. i 'ust want to betterjust to be safe. i 'ust want to rotect betterjust to be safe. i 'ust want to preteet peepre _ betterjust to be safe. i 'ust want to protect people as _ betterjust to be safe. ijust want to protect people as well - betterjust to be safe. ijust want to protect people as well i'm - betterjust to be safe. i just want i to protect people as well i'm going to protect people as well i'm going to he _ to protect people as well i'm going to he in_ to protect people as well i'm going to be in contact with.— to be in contact with. the new variant omicron _ to be in contact with. the new variant omicron is _ to be in contact with. the new variant omicron is spreading l to be in contact with. the new - variant omicron is spreading fast, doubling every two and a half days. new modelling has looked at what that might mean for hospital admissions and deaths in england under plan b with a greater use of masks and working from home. it is early work but researchers say further measures may be needed. what further measures may be needed. what we do know is — further measures may be needed. what we do know is very _ further measures may be needed. ib'd�*ué�*if we do know is very stringent restrictions come with their own downsides, they could be devastating for individuals, theirfamilies downsides, they could be devastating for individuals, their families and businesses especially in the lead up to christmas, so i think policymakers have some very difficult decisions to make. 50 policymakers have some very difficult decisions to make. so what does this mean _ difficult decisions to make. so what does this mean for _ difficult decisions to make. so what does this mean for cases? - does this mean for cases? researchers expect there to be a substantial wave, bigger than last winter when dairy cases peaked at more than 50,000. there is still a lot of uncertainty about how many people might end up in hospital —— daily cases. we still don't know whether omicron illness. and many people are fully vaccinated, which should help. by the end of april deaths may range from 25,000 to 75,000 depending on how well vaccines perform but scientists are hopeful they will still give good protection against serious disease. we still give good protection against serious disease.— still give good protection against serious disease. . ~ ., serious disease. we know the booster doses do get — serious disease. we know the booster doses do get very _ serious disease. we know the booster doses do get very effective _ doses do get very effective protection that we don't know how long that will last. it may not be very long lasting, but those booster doses are going to be critical. we can'tjust rely on the vaccine campaign to control this. we have to also wear masks and do all those other things we have learned to do. this winter we are in a better place thanks to vaccines, boosters and new antiviral drugs. the government says current measures in england are proportionate but won't hesitate to take further action is needed to protect lives and the nhs. katharine da costa, bbc news. the government coronavirus figures have just been released. they show a5,000 new infections recorded in the later 24—hour period, 132 deaths —— 5a,000 new infections. more than 22.5 million people have received their boosterjab. in america more than 70 people are thought to have died after a series of tornadoes hit several states. kentucky has been worst affected with the governor saying it has been one of the toughest nights in the state's history. 30 tornadoes, were reported across a large swathe of the southeast. nomia iqbal has the full story. the us national weather service had issued several tornado warnings for multiple us states. in illinois this amazon warehouse was ripped apart by the storm after the roof partially collapsed. emergency responders have been working through the night. they had been on the night shift in the run—up to christmas. theirfamily members had been trying to find them. he was on the phone with me while it was happening. the tornado was hitting the back of the building, the trucks were coming in. i told him tojump at the track and duck. i decided to come down here to see what was going on. i had no idea the building look that bad, and i'mjust... i'm worried sick. ijust want to know if he's 0k. tornadoes tore a path through 200 miles, hitting the small town of mayfield. it's one thing when we know - the potential of the atmosphere. it's another thing when we it actually becomes a reality. i this was the bank. that's what's left of the fire department. there used to be two storeys to that building — now there is one. a black cylinder swept across the ground, slamming into a candle factory. the governor fears dozens may have been killed inside. this will be, i believe, the deadliest tornado system to ever run through kentucky. earlier this morning, about 5am, we were pretty sure we would lose over 50 kentuckians. i'm now certain that number is north of 70. it may in fact end up exceeding 100. in arkansas the storm hit a nursing home, killing at least one person, injuring several and trapping more than a dozen others inside. local reports have described it as a mass casualties event. one official called it heartbreaking. millions of americans are being urged to prepare for weather alerts nationwide, as the storm continues to wreak havoc across the country. nomia iqbal, bbc news, washington. foreign ministers from the g7 group of wealthy nations are meeting in liverpool today, with talks focussed on how to counter threats posed by china and russia. our diplomatic correspondent, james landale, is in liverpool for us. the build—up of russian troops on ukraine's border are certainly high on the agenda for the gathering? absolutely. the estimate there are about 100,000 russian troops on the border of ukraine and russia says thatis border of ukraine and russia says that is merely defensive manoeuvres. the west fear is actually the potential of an invasion so i doing everything they possibly can to the that invasion. i spoke a few minutes ago to the eu foreign policy chief who told me we are indeed terror mode. they are doing that by threatening what they call —— we are in the tare mode. they say they are threatening severe consequences if russia were to invade but they are not being specific about that and one issue being debated in liverpool, what should those severe economic conditions be? one example, for example, the issue of this big new pipeline being laid between russia and germany to provide a huge amount of gas. if that were to be shut down it would certainly hit russia hard, but it would also hit europe's economies, so those are the kind of trade—offs the g7 foreign ministers are trying to grapple with today. so they can get the issue right of the tearing russia but also being credible at the same time. like my ok. james landale in liverpool, thank you. == like my ok. james landale in liverpool, thank you.- like my ok. james landale in liverpool, thank you. england have lost the first ashes test against australia, in brisbane. after a fightback on day three, england were all out for 297 setting australia a target ofjust 20. the next begins in adelaide, on tuesday. lewis hamilton will start second on the grid for the title deciding abu dhabi grand prix tomorrow. he was beaten to pole position by his championship rival, max verstappen. both drivers are tied on points going into the final race of the season. our sports correspondent, natalie pirks, reports from the yas marina circuit, in abu dhabi. he has been here so many times before. but nothing quite like this. with hamilton and verstappen locked on the same points, qualifying was a chance to put in the first big market. verstappen looked off the pace until the end when he benefited with a little help from a friend... the slipstream of red bull team—mate sergio perez helped him gain time and his pace was blistering. i5 sergio perez helped him gain time and his pace was blistering. is that aood and his pace was blistering. is that good enough _ and his pace was blistering. is that good enough to — and his pace was blistering. is that good enough to take _ and his pace was blistering. is that good enough to take provisional i good enough to take provisional pole? good enough to take provisional ole? , ., . ., , good enough to take provisional ole? , .,. , good enough to take provisional pole? , ., . .,, , ., pole? trying to chase his time down, hamilton locked _ pole? trying to chase his time down, hamilton locked up _ pole? trying to chase his time down, hamilton locked up and _ pole? trying to chase his time down, hamilton locked up and could - pole? trying to chase his time down, hamilton locked up and could only i hamilton locked up and could only claim second behind his rival, exactly where red bull wanted him. crosses the line, not on pole! essen crosses the line, not on pole! even for a sport — crosses the line, not on pole! even for a sport well-versed _ crosses the line, not on pole! even for a sport well-versed in - crosses the line, not on pole! even for a sport well—versed in drama that has been something else, a fantastic in qualifying from max verstappen to put him on paul. stiiiii verstappen to put him on paul. still on the front— verstappen to put him on paul. still on the front row. we have the difference _ on the front row. we have the difference obviously between the ties hut _ difference obviously between the ties but i— difference obviously between the ties but i am grateful i can see where — ties but i am grateful i can see where he — ties but i am grateful i can see where he is that we can try to navigate _ where he is that we can try to navigate from there. navigating rival is navigate from there. navigating rivalry is something _ navigate from there. navigating rivalry is something alain - navigate from there. navigating rivalry is something alain prost| rivalry is something alain prost knows plenty about, and his battles with the late ayrton senna lit up the sport in the 80s and he believes hamilton and verstappen said a rivalry for the ages. i hamilton and verstappen said a rivalry for the ages.— rivalry for the ages. i think it is ma be rivalry for the ages. i think it is maybe one _ rivalry for the ages. i think it is maybe one of _ rivalry for the ages. i think it is maybe one of the _ rivalry for the ages. i think it is maybe one of the best, - rivalry for the ages. i think it is maybe one of the best, or - rivalry for the ages. i think it is maybe one of the best, or the | rivalry for the ages. i think it is - maybe one of the best, or the best, in a way. in my opinion, the human side, you can feel it, more attention, you know. that is nice. but we are waiting for that, for many years. shill but we are waiting for that, for many years— many years. all eyes on them. locked on oints. many years. all eyes on them. locked on points- sporting — many years. all eyes on them. locked on points. sporting history— many years. all eyes on them. locked on points. sporting history beckons i on points. sporting history beckons for one of them. so this is where the story ends. the last six drivers on pole here gone on to win the race but still all to play for for the british driver. verstappen has won more races than hamilton this season so they both failed to finish the dutchman would win his first world title. but if hamilton were to win it would be a record eight and he would cement his place in sporting history. tomorrow really is all or nothing. studio: natalie pirks in abu dhabi, thank you. that's it. i'll be back with the late news at ten past ten. but now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. bye for now. plenty of cloud streaming across the uk at the moment, further rain to come on into the evening, but some very mild air getting pulled up from the south courtesy of this area of low pressure, so actually, our temperatures above average for the time of year as we move through the evening and overnight. quite wet, particularly for england and wales into the evening, skies clearing, just an isolated showers for scotland and northern ireland, but temperatures holding up above freezing aside from perhaps in the more sheltered glens of scotland, generally lows to the north of the uk six or 7 degrees, very mild to the south of this band of rain, overnight lows of 11 or 12 and that is because we are pulling up this warm airfrom a long way is because we are pulling up this warm air from a long way south in the atlantic and you can see we pull it almost right away across the uk, like a warm blanket through the course of sunday and we do so as this where the front swings up from the south. some early rain for north wales, the midlands, through the afternoon for northern england and northern ireland, later in the day, we will see that rain getting into southern scotland. temperatures to the south of the rain could be even up the south of the rain could be even up to 15 degrees and one or two spots, quite a lot of cloud around but i think a few brighter spells on the east. sunday night into monday, looks like it could be very windy to the north—west of the uk as we see the north—west of the uk as we see the centre of this area of low pressure pushing through. gales for the northern and western isles. we will see the low pulling away through monday daytime, but it stays breezy here and there will be some fairly frequent showers, could be wintry on the highest ground, cooler air is sinking in to northern ireland, scotland and northern england, so temperatures back down closer to average here, but the mild air is still to the south, daytime highs of 12 or 13. there will be some rain for england and wales to monday, that pulls away on tuesday, again, wet and windy to the far north of the uk to the other part of the week, but on wednesday onwards, it's all about this area of high pressure building from the south end as it does so, it looks like it really locks out anything colder to bring its way into the uk, so through the week ahead, our focus is very much on things being pretty mild, no sign of any significant frost and as the week pans out in that high bills, the weather becomes fairly settled. it could be quite grey and gloomy, however. now the profile of samoa's first female leader. also the first co—prime minister. leaders of the g20, we are drowning, and our only hope is the life ring you are holding. the western world is responsible for 76% of carbon emissions. you don't need my pain or my tears to know that we're in a crisis. - no city, no community and no eco system will be spared from the reckoning that lies beyond 1.5 degrees of warming. not everyone gets to make choices about life and death. we here are privileged today to do exactly that. the pacific islands are facing an existential crisis. extreme weather patterns and rising sea levels are already forcing people to relocate and threatening to create a generation of climate refugees. what's happening here is a bellwether of the planet's future as the world met for the cop 26 in glasgow. i traveled to the pacific islands to meet women on the front lines who are leading the fight against the climate crisis from elders relocating their villages. they told us to go, go. you just worry about your life. to a younger generation leading with practical approaches.