With a collapsing economy, afghanistans drug trade is on the rise. We have a special report. And a new champion in formula 1. Max verstappen snatches victory in the last lap of the final grand prix of the season. Hello and welcome if youre watching in the uk or around the world. The uk has raised its covid alert level in response to the rapid spread of the new omicron variant to a level not seen since last may. Within the last hour, Prime Minister borisjohnson warned that a tidal wave of omicron is coming. He accelerated a programme to offer every eligible adult a boosterjab before the new year. This comes as Health Leaders warn that nhs staff are currently working at full stretch. Our Health Correspondent jim reed has the latest. As the covid alert level is raised across the uk, the message from the government is for more people to queue up for their boosterjabs. Scientists say these and third doses are the single most important defence against omicron this winter. It is important to make sure you are protected as best as you can. My wife is having hers done today. Make sure we are protected as best as we can. From tomorrow, people in their 30s in england and scotland will be able to book their Booster Appointments as the roll out continues down the age groups. Other parts of the uk are likely to follow within days. It is really important, given what we are hearing and what we know now about the omicron variant and how effective the vaccine is, particularly after the booster dose, so it is an important measure for protecting themselves, theirfamily, friends and the public at large. Government scientists are increasingly concerned about the speed the omicron variant can transmit and spread as it takes over from the older delta variant. We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best and i think ourjob is to highlight that this is a big wave, it is coming straight at us. If we see even half the severity we saw with delta, we are facing a very large number of hospitalisations and potential deaths. This data is from covid test taken last wednesday. In yorkshire and humber it is thought 4 were caused by the new variant. In the east of england, it was 13 . In london it is thought omicron already made up at least a third of all new infections, 3,000 positive tests a day and rising. Government Scientists Say it is inevitable these figures will rise across the country. It was confirmed today that hospitals have now seen their first patients with the omicron variant, although it is not yet clear how serious those cases are. This evening the covid alert level for the uk was increased to its second highest level with a warning that the pressure on the nhs is likely to rise soon. Yes, the nhs is already beyond full stretch and that is before we have got to deal with the consequences of omicron. Yes, it is concerning, but everybody on the nhs front line is doing absolutely the best they can as you would expect. The future of this pandemic, though, is more uncertain than it has been for 18 months. In south africa where omicron was first detected, there are early, tentative signs that infections in some parts of the country may be slowing down without a surge in hospitalisations. In the uk more rules are changing. From tuesday those who are fully vaccinated in england and are a contact of someone with covid can take a daily lateral flow test, rather than having to self isolate at home. Ministers say extra testing and more boosterjabs like this are the best way to protect the whole country this christmas. Although the alert level has been raised it wont result in more restrictions. In a moment, ill be talking to our Political Correspondent, but first lets hear some of what mrjohnson has been saying. Iam afraid i am afraid we are now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant, omicron. And we must urgently reinforce our whirl of Vaccine Protection to keep our friends and loved ones safe. Earlier today, the uks for Chief Medical Officer is raise the covert alert level to level four, its 2nd highest level. Because of the evidence that omicron is doubling here in the uk every two to three days. And we know from bitter experience how these exponential curves develop. No one should be in any doubt that there is a tidal wave of omicron coming, and im afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection that we all need. But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose, a booster dose, we can all bring our level of protection backup. With me is our Political Correspondent chris mason. Chris, a rapid deceleration to the booster programme. We have the Prime Minister saying we are facing an emergency, but so far no new restrictions have been announced. No, the curiosity with the announcement in the last hour is pretty rare. If we step away from the pandemic of the last couple of years its very rare for a british Prime Minister to request National Broadcasters to be allowed access to the airwaves where he delivers a statement without challenge because it wasnt a News Conference and there werent questions after and thatis there werent questions after and that is a convention that exists for moments of National Emergency and weve seen many of them in the last couple of years but its rare to see how thatis of years but its rare to see how that is in the round, and yes, we werent able to put the question and its quite striking when we see the response from scotlands First Minister that she and a Written Statement says in the last hour that given the expected volume of cases in the weeks ahead that it is possible that further proportionate protective measures are advised or necessary and we dont know what she means like that and maybe she needs but she will address the Scottish Parliament on tuesday, and that is the central question and given the fear that there clearly is a fear around the government as Boris Johnson described it with the expansion of the booster programme, what about the potential need for some additional restrictions. Plenty of people would obviously not see anything that would restrict their liberty any more but its the obvious logical question to ask, whatever the answer might be from the Prime Minister in the coming days. The Prime Minister in the coming da 5. , the Prime Minister in the coming da s. ,. , days. Clearly the government is committing days. Clearly the government is committing a days. Clearly the government is committing a lot days. Clearly the government is committing a lot of days. Clearly the government is committing a lot of resources i days. Clearly the government is| committing a lot of resources to this and the nhs is on ciel under a lot of stress and now the army is being brought in to deliver vaccines. Its a massive logistical challenge because they have more than halved the deadline they previously set and the original aspiration was to offer all adults a third or boosterjab by the end of january but instead they have said that it should be done by the end of the month and we are already on the 12th of december, so its a colossal effort and a colossal effort at the time that the Prime Minister is under a lot of domestic political pressure about what was happening last december rather than this december with all of these reports of getting parties going on and social gatherings and its just a point in england that these things a year ago were illegal. So how much credibility does borisjohnson have to be coming on television and emphasising the gravity of the problem as he is in the depths of a tearful scandal . Its problem as he is in the depths of a tearful scandal . Tearful scandal . Its a big question tearful scandal . Its a big question. Broadly tearful scandal . Its a big i question. Broadly speaking throughout the pandemic, irrespective of whether an individual has much trust in a political leader or not, broadly speaking, people have been willing to tolerate restrictions on their liberties concluding it was safer than the alternative, so because there might have been a denting of there might have been a denting of the Prime Ministers credibility and evidence to back it up doesnt mean that people will conclude therefore i wont bother getting anotherjab, but it is a deliver difficult political time to make the intervention and it striking that the labour party say from their perspective they dont have to trust the Prime Minister but you should trust the medical advisers and they say get a job and we back the government and that is what you should do. , a government and that is what you should do should do. Thanks for taking the time to speak should do. Thanks for taking the time to speak to should do. Thanks for taking the time to speak to us. Lets turn to the us, where Emergency Teams in six states are continuing to search for survivors after one of the most devastating Tornado Events ever recorded there. In kentucky, the states governor has said it will be a miracle if anyone else still missing there is found alive. More than 90 people are known to have died in kentucky, and that number is expected to rise. About 1a people are reported to have been killed in five other states hit by the storms. A spokesperson for fema the federal Emergency Management agency said Climate Change meant that the Tornado Activity experienced this weekend was likely to become what she called the new normal. Nomia iqbal reports from kentucky. There were more than 30 tornadoes that ripped through six states, but one hurtled down a single track of more than 200 miles. It is thought to be the longest path ever taken by a tornado in us history. It flattened many homes, whilst leaving others untouched. In an instant this small town of mayfield has been almost entirely wiped out. Flattened homes are now buried in their own debris, toys and shoes scattered amongst the Twisted Metal and shredded trees by a swarm of tornadoes that no one had prepared for. Dini is looking for her cousin who lives downtown. Everybody� s cell phone is down and i got up early and i was so nervous i could not sleep. I could not get to her yesterday and i drive the school bus and everything over there is destroyed, it is just heartbreaking. As you can see, the roofers come of the church and it is damaged. Sunday services will be held across the states this morning to remember those who died. Minutes from the church a huge Rescue Operation is still under way to a Candle Factory. More than 100 workers were on christmas shifts when the tornado tore through. A0 people made it out. In the state of Illinois Another Factory is looking for its missing employees. The tornado destroyed an amazon distribution factory. Amazon Founderjeff Bezos pledged to offer support. The governor here in kentucky says this is the deadliest Tornado Event the state has ever had. President biden has signed a federal emergency disaster declaration to help this state and others ravaged by the storms. Many mayfield residents are struggling to come to terms with the extent of the destruction. Barbara patterson had lived in her now ruined house for 37 years. This was my home until last night. I was told by a friend that the courthouse was down and it was heading toward my house, but i never dreamed this. Ijust thought maybe a shingle or two, and i lost it when they brought me this morning. Weve had good times in there and weve had bad. My mum died in there. She lived with my dad. Its just so many good and bad memories, but the hardest thing, i think is. Going to leave tonight, walk out of here. Lets go live to los angeles and speak to our North America correspondent peter bowes. Peter, what is the latest you are hearing on the Rescue Operation . It continues and it moves slowly and necessarily because simply because of the huge scope of what has happened and the vast area that the authorities are dealing with and weve heard a lot about the Candle Factory where many people were working overnight shifts and tragically that is properly where most people died in the city of mayfield but others have perished in their own homes and may be going door to door but there are doors and drawers to go to and they are going through the rubble that used to be homes to see if anyone is underneath and as the governor has said, he believes it would take a miracle at this stage to find anyone alive but they do continue to search and it will become a Recovery Operation at some point but there is still, for many people, a glimmer of hope that loved ones can be found and this is a colossal operation in a positive sense and a lot of the equipment has been moved into these areas, bulldozers coming from neighbouring communities and towns and we have the federal aid initiated by the State Of Emergency declared about 24 hour is ago by President Biden, so they are working through this and tragically the number of people who lost their lives is expected to rise at about 80 at the moment that the governor has been talking about at least 100 people and we are due to hear a News Conference in the next few minutes and we hope you will get some more details then. Some more details then. Peter, we hear about some more details then. Peter, we hear about this some more details then. Peter, we hear about this candle some more details then. Peter, we hear about this Candle Factory some more details then. Peter, we hear about this Candle Factory on hear about this Candle Factory on the Amazon Warehouse and is the loss of life so high because the workers didnt have basements to escape into . Factories dont typically have emergency shelters. Are you seeing a pattern there . Is it being discussed . Pattern there . Is it being discussed . 3 ,. ,. , discussed . Its being discussed what eole discussed . Its being discussed what people should discussed . Its being discussed what people should do discussed . Its being discussed what people should do when discussed . Its being discussed what people should do when they discussed . Its being discussed what people should do when they get discussed . Its being discussed what people should do when they get the | people should do when they get the warning that a tornado is on the way and the owner of that factory has in fact been talking about this and apparently protocol was that people would be moved to the Bathroom Areas as deemed to be the most secure areas generally, internal rooms without external windows, so no danger of glass breaking and a it is apparently what happened, but clearly it wasnt any use for the people in the building and the storm was so forceful that it obliterated the entire structure so there will be a debate moving forward about what people could possibly do in that situation. Its also been suggested that some of the companies in that town had already decided not to work that night and there is a question over whether those people should in fact have been in the factory and this was put to the owner of the building who said, with the benefit of hindsight, we might well have made different decisions, but he seemed to be quite confident that with the information they had the right thing was done. Than the right thing was done. An Important Development in the story. Thank you for talking to us. Lets look at some of the days other news the g7 leading economic powers have warned of massive consequences for russia if it engages in further military aggression towards ukraine. Speaking at the G7 Ministerial Meeting in liverpool, the uk foreign secretary liz truss also said its the last chance for iran to negotiate a return to the International Nuclear deal first signed in 2015. Israels Prime Minister, naftali bennett, has arrived in the United Arab Emirates for the first visit by an israeli head of government to the gulf country. Before leaving israel mr bennett said the two leaders would be discussing ways to strengthen cooperation, especially economic ties. One of mexicos most revered singers, vicente fernandez, has died at the age of 81, afterfour months in hospital, following a fall at his ranch. He was known as the king of mexicos traditional ranchera music and had a successful career spanning more than five decades. His songs became an essential part of mexican culture. Its been an exciting day of sport for a full round up, after a drawn out protest, Max Verstappen was crowned as the new formula one world champion. Lewis hamilton who was searching for a Record 8th World Title had appeared in control of the race and on course for the championship himself, despite controversy on the first lap, until a late safety car which allowed the 2a year old dutchman to snatch the race on the final lap for a maiden title. I am shocked. I believe that that win of lewis was stolen from him. The championship should not have been decided that way. The rules that the race director said about the lapping cars, i think that is wrong and i think hamilton should have won no matter what. Devastated. To see them, to have those five cars let through, bringing max right up to the last is ridiculous. It isjust horrible, watching it like that. Max verstappen won Max Verstappen, champion of the world talk me through that, ten laps to go, hamilton was coasting home, | safety car on the track brought them j closer together, what was your heart like as they both went . I nearly flatlined. Totally. We were ready to go home. I had given up all hope and then a miracle happened. Nicholas latifi saved us the gods knew that max deserved it this year, he was the best driver this year, 110 . He deserves that. And on that note i will hand back to you in london. Lets go to the state of ten turkey and andy bashir is giving a Press Conference alongside an Emergency Responders and the us secretary of which is happening in mayfield. We secretary of which is happening in ma ield. ~. , secretary of which is happening in ma ield. , ,. , mayfield. We now believe may be many more have been mayfield. We now believe may be many more have been living mayfield. We now believe may be many more have been living this mayfield. We now believe may be many more have been living this in mayfield. We now believe may be many more have been living this in real more have been living this in real time, since midnight yesterday. While i was at the states Emergency Operation and receiving reports in real time, western kentucky and its people were ground zero, so a0 hours in, here is where i think we are. Firstly, we are grateful. We are grateful to our First Responders who were there or through the evening and the storm itself, showing incredible heroism and they are still at work and we are grateful for all of the help we received from other cities and other states and help from the federal government that has come into so many different forms and we are grateful for the outpouring of love, thats the best way i can describe it, from all over the country and from all walks of life and i want to thank everybody for standing with the people of kentucky. We feel it and one of the Biggest Challenges now is organising the amount of people that want to help and donate and want to volunteer but you know what, thats the best challenge any of us could ask for so we declared a State Of Emergency in advance before the storm hit in that State Of Emergency. And we now been granted the immediate State Of Emergency out was rare and granted incredibly quickly and we are grateful to Homeland Security to present biden himself. The National Guard has been deployed and we have over 300 guardsmen and they are out doing anything from going door to door to help the communities even though they dont have doors and they are going rubble to rebel searching, hopefully for survivors but otherwise to at least have certainty for families that we can advise them of their last and they are doing Debris Removal and helping out in Law Enforcement capacity when needed. Our Transportation Cabinet has been out with hundreds of kentucky workers and with every large truck we can find and today in mayfield we have started moving debris out and also the workers at the cabinet. The Division Of Forestry is assisting with removal and we have requested and received insistence from all over the state and federal government including helping Search And Rescue, federal teams as well as other statements and supplies, generators working on to operate on that basis until services restored so we launched the western Kentucky Relief Fund and wk y, here is how the people responded, 18,031 donations over 2. 3 million every single penny of which will come to help our families every single penny of which will come to help ourfamilies here every single penny of which will come to help our families here and the first shot of expenses we will roll out our four funeral system, the very first thing we have to do is grieve together and we will do that before we rebuild together and more information will be coming on that. Today we can also understand that. Today we can also understand that state parks are open and will help families that have lost their homes and we are taking them in and we are trying to guarantee everybody a two week stay so they are not worrying about tomorrow and they can worrying about tomorrow and they can worry about finding their relatives and make sure their kids have enough to eat and weve opened kentucky down village, kim lake, lake barkley in this region and rough river, that can help people and the auto barn that can help people in new Ljungberg County and we already have 10a adults and thats helping the people of dawson springs, and half a which is level. Its open to First Responders and volunteers as well and let me thank all of them. Every single barn for what they are doing. Theyve helped us clear roads and ultimately to have knocked on doors where they stand to check on people and we want to thank the rest of the country for your attention, your help and for your prayers and we needed them and we are hoping as we move forward for some miracles to find more people and hopefully have a lower death count that we expect. We have got hit with a pandemic and historic ice storms, flooding and the worst tornado in our history in the worst tornado in our history in the span of 19 months. What i do know is in kentucky we are good people and we care about one another which is why people were out in the storm helping their neighbours and thats why in other counties you can look on people shirts, we are here and he immediately trying to help and he immediately trying to help and its why we opened 13 shelters but only have six open any more because we take each other our homes. We are going to grieve together. We are going to dig out and clean up together and we will rebuild and move forward and we will get through this and get through this together because that is what we do. We are blessed today to have both the secretary for the Us Department of Home Security and the head administratorfor department of Home Security and the head administrator for federal Emergency Management agencies with us, less than a0 hours after this event began. Federal government has been there every step of the way, even helping us to know what we can ask for and say yes. I want to start with all of them, and when it starts with all of them, and when it starts with the present, who called Me Three Times yesterday alone and i believe we will hear from the congressman in a minute and we heard from Senator Mcconnell and we are very pleased with the response and we want them to keep it up but we want to thank you so much and we will first hearfrom want to thank you so much and we will first hear from the secretary of the Us Department for Home Security. Mister secretary, we cannot thank you enough for being here for our people. Cannot thank you enough for being here for our people. Thank you very much, governor. Here for our people. Thank you very much, governor. The here for our people. Thank you very much, governor. The fema much, governor. The fema administrator and our teams visited the Candle Administrator and our teams visited the Candle Factory site, the decimated site earlier today and we spoke decimated site earlier today and we spoke with decimated site earlier today and we spoke with the leader of the Search And Rescue spoke with the leader of the Search And Rescue team and have the opportunity to thank some of his members opportunity to thank some of his members. I saw on site a backpack that was members. I saw on site a backpack that was left behind and a pair of shoes that was left behind and a pair of shoes. And it represents the tragedy that this shoes. And it represents the tragedy that this tornado has wreaked on this area that this tornado has wreaked on this area of kentucky. We learned of a telephone that was recovered from a telephone that was recovered from a cellphone that recorded 27 missed messages a cellphone that recorded 27 missed messages. We have lost fathers, mothers. Messages. We have lost fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and others. But as the Governor Daughters and others. But as the governor so poignantly and powerfully stated, we will get through this and we will grieve together, but we will also recover togethen together, but we will also recover together. And that is why we in the federal together. And that is why we in the federal government are here today and want federal government are here today and want to make it perfectly clear that we and want to make it perfectly clear that we are and want to make it perfectly clear that we are here, physically today, but we that we are here, physically today, but we will that we are here, physically today, but we will be here tomorrow in the days, but we will be here tomorrow in the days, weeks, months ahead until the recovery days, weeks, months ahead until the recovery is days, weeks, months ahead until the recovery is complete. I want to express recovery is complete. I want to express our tremendous thanks and admiration express our tremendous thanks and admiration of the governor for his leadership admiration of the governor for his leadership of the people of kentucky in a Time Leadership of the people of kentucky in a time like this, when it is a time in a time like this, when it is a time to in a time like this, when it is a time to come together and that is indeed time to come together and that is indeed what we have done, federal, state indeed what we have done, federal, state and indeed what we have done, federal, state and local personnel, of all walks state and local personnel, of all walks in state and local personnel, of all walks in response to the needs of the people. We also visited the fire station the people. We also visited the fire station and saw First Responders who themselves are survivors of the disaster. Themselves are survivors of the disaster, placing their own needs behind disaster, placing their own needs behind and continuing to respond to the needs behind and continuing to respond to the needs of others. And i want to pay special the needs of others. And i want to pay special thanks to the First Responders and all of those here in this Area Responders and all of those here in this area , responders and all of those here in this area. , those willing to sacrifice this area. , those willing to sacrifice themselves for the wellbeing of others. We met with the Mayor Wellbeing of others. We met with the mayor of wellbeing of others. We met with the mayor of mayfield and heard her expression of resolve and commitment to the expression of resolve and commitment to the recovery. One of the things weve to the recovery. One of the things weve learned over the years about disasters weve learned over the years about disasters is weve learned over the years about disasters is the need to lean forward disasters is the need to lean forward and move personnel and resources forward and move personnel and resources very early, that is what we have resources very early, that is what we have done. Fema have deployed their Assistant Management Teams to kentucky their Assistant Management Teams to kentucky to lead the federal effort on the kentucky to lead the federal effort on the ground. Damage assessment teams. On the ground. Damage assessment teams, Search And Rescue experts and additional teams, Search And Rescue experts and additional staff are standing at the ready additional staff are standing at the ready to additional staff are standing at the ready to support the Rescue Operation. Fema is helping deliver food, operation. Fema is helping deliver food, water, shelter, powerand all necessary food, water, shelter, powerand all necessary aid to local communities. Upon necessary aid to local communities. Upon receiving the request yesterday from the upon receiving the request yesterday from the governor, President Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for kentucky, giving this commonwealth and its local Emergency Responders commonwealth and its local Emergency Responders needed resources for this response. Responders needed resources for this response, including direct federal assistance from the department of Homeland Security, fema and the rest of the Homeland Security, fema and the rest of the federal family. As the president told the country yesterday, whatever is needed here in kentucky and across any community affected in kentucky and across any community affected by in kentucky and across any community affected by this tragic event, the federal affected by this tragic event, the federal government will do everything we can, everything in our power. Everything we can, everything in our power. To everything we can, everything in our power, to help. Now let me turn it over to power, to help. Now let me turn it over to fema administrator Deanne Criswell over to fema administrator Deanne Criswell for further details. Thank you criswell for further details. Thank ou. ~ criswell for further details. Thank ou. ~ ,. , criswell for further details. Thank ou. , m ,. You. Thank you Mister Secretary and thank ou you. Thank you Mister Secretary and thank you governor, you. Thank you Mister Secretary and thank you governor, and you. Thank you Mister Secretary and thank you governor, and to you. Thank you Mister Secretary and thank you governor, and to all you. Thank you Mister Secretary and thank you governor, and to all of. Thank you governor, and to all of the people thank you governor, and to all of the people of thank you governor, and to all of the people of kentucky, thank you governor, and to all of the people of kentucky, my thank you governor, and to all of| the people of kentucky, my heart goes the people of kentucky, My Heart Goes Out the people of kentucky, My Heart Goes Out to the people of kentucky, My Heart Goes Out to each the people of kentucky, My Heart Goes Out to each and the people of kentucky, My Heart Goes Out to each and everyone i the people of kentucky, My Heart Goes Out to each and everyone of| the people of kentucky, My Heart Goes Out to each and everyone of you who have goes out to each and everyone of you who have experienced goes out to each and everyone of you who have experienced the goes out to each and everyone of you who have experienced the tragic who have experienced the tragic events who have experienced the tragic events from who have experienced the tragic events from these who have experienced the tragic events from these tornadoes. You