welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. the uk has announced record covid infection figures for the second day in a row — as the world health organization says the new strain — omicron — is spreading at an unprecedented rate. more than 75 countries have omicron cases. a top uk health official says the variant is probably the most significant threat we've had since the start of the pandemic. meanwhile presidentjoe biden has said that the omicron variant has now arrived in the united states. our medical editor fergus walsh has this report. what do you want for christmas? for millions it is a booster. these people in newcastle today were prepared to wait for hours for a covid vaccination bus. it was a record day for booster jabs, but also covid cases. boosters offer the best protection against omicron, but there is huge uncertainty whether they will blunt it enough to keep hospital admissions below last january's peak. even if it is milder, because it is concentrated over a short period of time, you could end up with a higher number going into hospital on a single day. that is certainly possible. the numbers of confirmed omicron patients in hospital are still low for now. it will be weeks before we have hard evidence that will show how serious the omicron wave will be. we need about 250 individuals in hospital before we can make a severity assessment compared to delta. and also a vaccine effectiveness assessment. the earliest we will have reliable data is the week between christmas and new year and probably early january. one group at higher risk from covid are pregnant women who, today, were finally made priority group for vaccination. between may and october during the first six months of the delta variant more than m00 pregnant women were admitted to hospital in the uk with covid. 96% of them were unvaccinated. 17 of those pregnant women died. four babies died in the first month of life from covid. it also increases the risk of having a premature birth. valerie is 32 weeks pregnant and had her booster in oxfordshire on monday, but it meant a long queue. i had to wait for one and a half hours in a queue, which is painful because i have pelvic girdle pain which makes it hard to stand or to walk. in addition, i was very nervous, as was everyone there in the queue. everyone is nervous because they thought the boosters might run out because it was a walk—in clinic. the prime minister was again banging the booster drum at a vaccination centre in kent. he urged the public to be careful when mixing with others this christmas. we are not closing things down or asking people to cancel things but what we are saying is that people will understandably not want to catch covid in the next few days, or ever, and the sensible thing to do is to get boosted now and exercise caution, that is what we are saying. and the queen is leading by example, cancelling a pre—christmas lunch for extended family due to take place at windsor castle. fergus walsh, bbc news. twelve missionaries held by an armed gang since october have been released in haiti. five others — from the us and canada — have already been released. they were all abducted in october after visiting an orphanage in an area east of the capital port—au—prince which is run by a powerful criminal gang. the bbc�*s will grant has more. a two month ordeal for the 17 hostages, 16 americans and one canadian is now over. the group had included several children including an eight—month—old. obviously it has been met with great celebration by the ministry in ohio who put out a statement saying that they praised god that they are safe. "we glorify god for our answered prayers," they say. and certainly it has been in two month period of intense negotiations with the gang, 400 mawozo, who took this group in port—au—prince and at one stage were asking for $1 million per hostage. there is no word at this stage whether any ransom was paid. either way, this will be the result that the us state department would have wanted and the families, of course, and indeed the haitian government. nevertheless this remains a difficult situation for ordinary haitians. gang control of the capital is near universal and the instances of hostages and abductions continues to be very, very widespread and while this high—profile case involving foreigners is over, many ordinary haitians still face an extremely difficult security situation in their cities. here in the uk — counting is under way in the north shropshire by—election — in what's being seen a big test of prime minister boris johnson's leadership. voters are electing a new mp following the resignation of owen paterson, who stood down in the wake of a row over his conduct, after he was found to have broken lobbying rules. the conservative party has held this seat for almost 200 years, so any defeat is likely to intensify questions over borisjohnson�*s leadership. with me now is lewis goodall who covers politics and policy for bbc newsnight. what is happening? it looks like we may be on the verge of one of the most sensational by—election results in britain for decade and i say that with no hyperbole. this is a rock solid conservative seat, that delivers conservative majorities since britain has been a democratic country and yet, tonight, liberal democrats were positioned themselves to borisjohnson were positioned themselves to boris johnson have were positioned themselves to borisjohnson have said this, they said they are not going to win —— notjust going to win, they will win comfortably. this is a disaster for boris johnson. and if the liberal democrats achieve what they say is a 30% swing it will be a body blow for boris johnson. his body blow for borisjohnson. his mps will wake up tomorrow morning looking at the prospect of him and his party, admittedly in terrible circumstances as a result of that corruption scandal, waking up that corruption scandal, waking up to the prime minister losing one of the safest conservative seats in the country right before christmas and there will before christmas and there will be a lot of speculation and a difficult political moment about what that means for his leadership. because parliament is often christmas holidays this week he will have a little breathing space but make no mistake at all it has been a cataclysmic few months for borisjohnson and itjust got even worse. typhoon rai — one of the strongest this year — has brought devastation to parts of the southern philippines. it made landfall in siargao, a popular tourist island, with winds of 175 kilometres an hour — just over a hundred miles an hour. the bbc�*s philippines correspondent howard johnson reports. power and communication lines remain down on siargao island, a tropical idyll popular with backpackers and surfers. normally abuzz with updates from social media influencers, the area has fallen eerily quiet. it is hoped the philippine air force will land on siargao island tomorrow to assess the extent of the damage. philippines�* state meteorologists say typhoon rai is now moving towards two other islands, bringing with it winds of up to 165 kilometres per hour and inundating the central philippines with heavy rain. videos posted on social media show the philippine coastguard helping to move families from flooded coastal and riverside communities. thousands of people had evacuated their homes before the typhoon hit, but the united nations has warned that more than 13 million people live in areas likely to be affected by the storm. the international federation of the red cross has described typhoon rai as "a monster storm" and said that climate change was making typhoons more ferocious and unpredictable. howard johnson, bbc news, manila. the impact of covid on the sporting world is starting to bite — games in the english premier league as well as across europe are starting to be cancelled because of outbreaks among players and staff. lucy grey is here. how bad is it? the list gets longer. five of the ten fixtures this weekend in the premier league have been called off because of players testing positive for covid and several games on thursday were also called off, some of them at the last minute, fans had a really travelled to the game and booked accommodation and upsetting for them, of course. this leads people to start calling for a firebreak to stop the league to give clubs a chance to catch up.- the league to give clubs a chance to catch up. the covid cases are _ chance to catch up. the covid cases are going _ chance to catch up. the covid cases are going through - chance to catch up. the covid cases are going through the l cases are going through the roof— cases are going through the roof in— cases are going through the roof in all premier league clubs _ roof in all premier league clubs. everyone is dealing with it and — clubs. everyone is dealing with it and everyone is a problem at this point— it and everyone is a problem at this point in time. so postpone this point in time. so postpone this round _ this point in time. so postpone this round and the next will give — this round and the next will give everyone one week, at least, — give everyone one week, at least, too... i don't know the exact— least, too... i don't know the exact number, for five days to do everything in training grounds so that everything is fine so — grounds so that everything is fine so we break the chain in every— fine so we break the chain in every club. fine so we break the chain in every club-— fine so we break the chain in every club. the liverpool boss sa s he every club. the liverpool boss says he does _ every club. the liverpool boss says he does not _ every club. the liverpool boss says he does not see - every club. the liverpool boss says he does not see any - says he does not see any benefit in stopping the league and the premier league so far is resisting these calls as well. that it also in the championship, the english championship, the english championship as had games called off and across europe. real madrid have had a few players testing positive. rf bail among them. and uefa are now doing a big push to make sure that all players who are not vaccinated going get their jab. for now it still remains personal choice with no forced vaccinations yet. but personal choice with no forced vaccinations yet.— vaccinations yet. but it is not 'ust vaccinations yet. but it is not just football, _ vaccinations yet. but it is not just football, is _ vaccinations yet. but it is not just football, is it? _ vaccinations yet. but it is not just football, is it? americanj just football, is it? american football, the _ just football, is it? american football, the nfl _ just football, is it? american football, the nfl more - just football, is it? american football, the nfl more than | just football, is it? american . football, the nfl more than 100 plays have tested positive since monday and that is in the los angeles, cleveland browns, to teams or struggled to field a team. but despite this the commissioner remains up bailey. even in the last few weeks it is clear that the changes are significant and different than they were before. i think it calls for modifications to protocols in general and we are working with the players association on that. we have some steps that we feel are necessary to take but we're comfortable we can work our way it. �* comfortable we can work our way it. ~ . . ~ ., , comfortable we can work our way it. �* . pat it. and cricket as well. pat cummins. _ it. and cricket as well. pat cummins, the _ it. and cricket as well. pat cummins, the australian l it. and cricket as well. pat i cummins, the australian and it. and cricket as well. pat - cummins, the australian and was ruled out of the test against england because he was identified as a close contact promised somebody he had a meal in a restaurant with just before the match. and the upcoming one—day series between the west indies and pakistan has been moved to next summer now because the west indies have had five more players, a total of nine, to positive was not quite frustrating for fans and players alike.— not quite frustrating for fans and players alike. let's return now to the — and players alike. let's return now to the by-election - and players alike. let's return now to the by-election in - and players alike. let's return now to the by-election in the | now to the by—election in the uk, let's head to elizabeth blinker and what are you hearing there? in blinker and what are you hearing there?— blinker and what are you hearing there? blinker and what are you hearin: there? ., , hearing there? in the last few moments _ hearing there? in the last few moments we _ hearing there? in the last few moments we had _ hearing there? in the last few moments we had the - hearing there? in the last few moments we had the turnout | moments we had the turnout figure for the by—election here in north shropshire. 38,110 and that equates to 46.3% which is considerably higher than we saw recently down in other constituencies. more interestingly in the last few moments we heard from the liberal democrats that they think they have won this election which, let's not mince words, if that is the case this is a major turnaround from a constituency with the conservatives have held it for a majority of almost 23,000. i'm joined now by the liberal democrat mp and you have done it? ~ 4' democrat mp and you have done it? ~ ~ ., democrat mp and you have done it? ~ 4' ., ., , it? we think we have not 'ust won, it? we think we have not 'ust won. we fl it? we think we have not 'ust won, we have i it? we think we have not 'ust won, we have won �* it? we think we have notjust i won, we have won comfortably. we came — won, we have won comfortably. we came in— won, we have won comfortably. we came in third place in the general— we came in third place in the general election and alan patterson had a majority of more — patterson had a majority of more than 20000 and we turn that around tonight. we got half— that around tonight. we got half that swing in 30 seats in the blue _ half that swing in 30 seats in the blue wall in the south of england _ the blue wall in the south of england then those seats could easily _ england then those seats could easily fall to the liberal democrats. conservative mps are going — democrats. conservative mps are going to _ democrats. conservative mps are going to be looking over their shoulders tomorrow morning knowing _ shoulders tomorrow morning knowing that we are now within touching — knowing that we are now within touching distance. how knowing that we are now within touching distance.— touching distance. how did you do it? the accusation will be that if you have taken the sea, how have you done? the accusation is that this is a by—election and people are protesting the government and you have been helped by some of the circumstances down in westminster, haven't you? let's be absolutely — westminster, haven't you? let's be absolutely clear, _ westminster, haven't you? let's be absolutely clear, those - westminster, haven't you? let's be absolutely clear, those are i be absolutely clear, those are entirely— be absolutely clear, those are entirely down to the conservative party. nobody else — conservative party. nobody else. they also through the kitchen _ else. they also through the kitchen sink at this. they wanted _ kitchen sink at this. they wanted to win this seat and they— wanted to win this seat and they did _ wanted to win this seat and they did try very hard. but it was — they did try very hard. but it was too _ they did try very hard. but it was too late because they had been — was too late because they had been taking people for granted for too — been taking people for granted for too long and that is what they— for too long and that is what they were telling us on the doorstops. they felt they had been — doorstops. they felt they had been taken for granted by this government. the chaos in downing _ government. the chaos in downing street and the behaviour was the last straw for people who see this government does not paying attention to the concerns that they _ attention to the concerns that they have. what they saw from helen, — they have. what they saw from helen, who ran a fantastic campaign, was someone out there working _ campaign, was someone out there working year—round and working year— round and listening working year—round and listening to them, taking on board — listening to them, taking on board those concerns and standing up forthem. board those concerns and standing up for them. we board those concerns and standing up forthem. we had board those concerns and standing up for them. we had a good _ standing up for them. we had a good showing in the recent local— good showing in the recent local government elections and we have — local government elections and we have a — local government elections and we have a strong party network and it _ we have a strong party network and it has — we have a strong party network and it has been working hard. what — and it has been working hard. what i — and it has been working hard. what i would like to say that the people of north shropshire now, _ the people of north shropshire now. is— the people of north shropshire now, is that we will repay the faith— now, is that we will repay the faith that _ now, is that we will repay the faith that they have shown in us. �* , ~ , ., us. but will they keep that faith in you _ us. but will they keep that faith in you at _ us. but will they keep that faith in you at the - us. but will they keep that faith in you at the next - faith in you at the next general election? that is the question. is this a protest vote and when it comes to what some people may call the real thing they will go back to the conservatives, go back to labour, whichever party they normally vote for?— labour, whichever party they normally vote for? this seed has been _ normally vote for? this seed has been conservative for i normally vote for? this seed i has been conservative for 200 years — has been conservative for 200 years and _ has been conservative for 200 years and people told us they were — years and people told us they were being taken for granted and that— were being taken for granted and that wasn't good enough —— seat~ _ and that wasn't good enough —— seat~ what— and that wasn't good enough —— seat. what they will have is an mp who — seat. what they will have is an mp who will listen to them, who will work— mp who will listen to them, who will work hard, and who will ensure _ will work hard, and who will ensure that their issues are heard — ensure that their issues are heard and addressed. and that's why i_ heard and addressed. and that's why i am — heard and addressed. and that's why i am confident that they will then— why i am confident that they will then vote for helen again at the — will then vote for helen again at the general election, because they will see the difference, a lib dem mp who works— difference, a lib dem mp who works for— difference, a lib dem mp who works for them.— works for them. finally then, ou works for them. finally then, you think _ works for them. finally then, you think you've _ works for them. finally then, you think you've got - works for them. finally then, you think you've got it, - works for them. finally then, you think you've got it, by i works for them. finally then, l you think you've got it, by how much was blue i don't know at the moment. wejust know much was blue i don't know at the moment. we just know it is looking good. thank you for joining us. there you have it, the liberal democrats confident they have taken this seat of north shropshire in the by—election. we don't know for certain if that is the case, but an amazing story. thank you very much _ but an amazing story. thank you very much finau. _ —— for now. stay with us on bbc news — still to come: a big pay—day for the boss. bruce springsteen sells his music rights for a reported half—a—billion dollars. saddam hussein is finished because he killed our people, ourwomen, our children. the signatures took only a few minutes, but they brought a formal end to 3.5 years of conflict — conflict that has claimed more than 200,000 lives. before an audience of world leaders, the presidents of bosnia, serbia and croatia put their names to the peace agreement. the romanian border- was sealed and silent today. romania has cut itself off from the outside world i in order to prevent the details of the presumed massacre - in timisoara from leaking out. from sex at the white house to a trial for his political life — the lewinsky affair tonight guaranteed bill clinton his place in history as only the second president ever to be impeached. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: as governments around the globe brace for the omicron effect, britain sets a record for new covid infections for the second day in a row. last year's wildfires in the world's largest tropical wetland in south america killed as many as 17 million animals, including snakes, lizards, birds, and primates. that's according to the first attempt to estimate the loss of wildlife by scientists in brazil. the fires burned between january and november 2020, and destroyed about a third of the pantanal wetland, which covers parts of brazil, paraguay, and bolivia. our science correspondent victoria gill has this report — and a warning that you may some of the images upsetting. almost 40,000 square kilometres of tropical wetland ravaged by fire. and now a wide low body count has provided the first estimate of the number of reptiles, mammals, and birds that were killed in wildfires that were killed in wildfires that burn throughout 2020. the researchers worked in an area of the pantanaljust researchers worked in an area of the pantanal just 48 researchers worked in an area of the pantanaljust 48 hours after fire had swept through. they walked more than 100 kilometres across mapped sections of the wetland, counting and examining every dead animal they found. they used their grim tally to estimate the total number that were lost. how difficult is it for scientist to get a grasp of the damage was lizzie lowe it was really difficult for many reasons. they were still happening in many regions and roads were, you know, devastated.— roads were, you know, devastated. ., , ., ., ., devastated. there was a lot of smoke. devastated. there was a lot of smoke- so _ devastated. there was a lot of smoke- so a _ devastated. there was a lot of smoke. so a drizzly _ devastated. there was a lot of smoke. so a drizzly hard - devastated. there was a lot of smoke. so a drizzly hard to i smoke. so a drizzly hard to reach some regions and do the research —— really hard. pa nta nal research —— really hard. pantanal is one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet. the vast majority what the researchers found was a small reptiles that are hugely abundant here, but the wildfires also killed mammals, birds, and reptiles that are threatened with extinction. if we see a higher frequency of this level fires happening in the next years we will sure have more impact to the vegetation and to the species that live in pantanal. researchers say that snapshot of the scale of devastation here could make the case for proper fire here could make the case for properfire management to proper fire management to protect properfire management to protect the world's largest wetland. and as the climate warms, more must be done, they say, to avoid wildfires that the natural world might struggle to recover from. victoria gill, bbc news. the american singer and songwriter bruce springsteen has sold his master recordings and music publishing rights to sony music in a deal estimated at $500million. the music magazine billboard said sony would have ownership of the rock legend's entire catalogue — including classic albums such as born in the usa. the bbc�*s tim allman reports. they call him the boss. an icon of blue—collar america. one of the most successful performance in rock music history. so he's not exactly short of a few bob. but the boss has just got a loss richer. he signed a deal believed to be worth somewhere in the region of half a billion dollars, selling the rights to his entire back catalogue. a big move but, perhaps, an understandable one. running a catalogue. _ understandable one. running a catalogue, especially _ understandable one. running a catalogue, especially the - catalogue, especially the publishing side of it, is an enormous amount of work. and if no—one wants to do it makes sense to let them inherit the money instead of a difficult business to run. springsteen is business to run. springsteen is b no business to run. springsteen is by no means — business to run. springsteen is by no means the _ business to run. springsteen is by no means the first - business to run. springsteen is by no means the first veteran i by no means the first veteran artist to sign such a deal stopped last year bob dylan sold the rights to his back catalogue for an estimated $300 million. earlierthis catalogue for an estimated $300 million. earlier this year, tina turner did the same for around 50 million. and there were reports of a similar deal worth $200 million that could be on the cards for the estate of david bowie. of? be on the cards for the estate of david bowie.— of david bowie. # this gun's for higher... _ of david bowie. # this gun's for higher... as _ of david bowie. # this gun's for higher... as for - of david bowie. # this gun's for higher... as for bruce - for higher... as for bruce springsteen, _ for higher... as for bruce springsteen, he - for higher... as for bruce springsteen, he shows i for higher... as for bruce | springsteen, he shows no for higher... as for bruce - springsteen, he shows no signs of slowing down. it looks like this gun is still very much for hire. tim allman, bbc news. we can speak to larry miller, music associate professor and director of the music business programme at nyu steinhardt. hejoins us live he joins us live now. hejoins us live now. thank he joins us live now. thank you for being with us. is it common for being with us. is it common for an artist with the prestige of someone like bruce springsteen to do something like this? ~ .., ., like this? welcome over the last several _ like this? welcome over the last several years _ like this? welcome over the last several years and - like this? welcome over the last several years and has i last several years and has become much more common as the prices for classic catalogues that came of age in the 1960s, 19705, that came of age in the 19605, 19705, 19805 have been traded at record high multiples by financial investors and by the major recorded music companies. what kind of figures are we talking about was yellow well, and every song that we hear there are two separate copyrights, one in the song itself, the musical composition, and the other in the recording of the composition. in the case of the springsteen sale all of those rights are being sold together to one company, sony, who will be able to control the destiny of both the sound recordings and the songs forever going forward. �* �* . and the songs forever going forward. . �*, ,., ., and the songs forever going forward. . �*, ., ., forward. and it's important to have them — forward. and it's important to have them both _ forward. and it's important to have them both together, - have them both together, especially if you are talking about a catalogue sale of a large and culturally important group of songs that go back as long as springsteen's are and is well as they are.— is well as they are. does this include for _ is well as they are. does this include for all _ is well as they are. does this include for all formats, - include for all formats, whether it is vinyl reprinted or some future digital format we are not yet using?- we are not yet using? yes, it includes _ we are not yet using? yes, it includes all _ we are not yet using? yes, it includes all formats - we are not yet using? yes, it includes all formats and - we are not yet using? yes, it includes all formats and all. includes all formats and all covers or new recordings that will be made of springsteen songs by other artists going forward into the future for quite a long time to come. so what are _ quite a long time to come. so what are the downsides of this, both for the artist and also the record labels with i can't really think of a downside for the artist who is getting to the artist who is getting to the age, if imac so, where he may be thinking about financial planning and the handling of his own estate —— if imac so. that was certainly the case of the bob dylan sale and many of the bob dylan sale and many of the other recent sales that we think about and we read about over the last couple of years, of artists who are now in their 60s, 70s, or even older. so there are estate sale or, rather, there are estate management issues. but, even so, the value that they can realise from the sale of their music assets in one transaction is higher now than has ever been the case in the history of music copyright, music publishing, and recorded music. just briefly, if you can, does this make music a more valuable asset than traditional investments? i asset than traditional investments? ., ., investments? i would say that it is as important _ investments? i would say that it is as important as _ investments? i would say that it is as important as a - investments? i would say that it is as important as a new - it is as important as a new investable asset class that is well understood now by large financial investors, by individual investors who can invest in companies like hypnosis and around hill on the stock market, and by others who can buy even the fractions of artist�* music that they love. 0k, artist�* music that they love. ok, we will have to leave it there. unfortunately we are out of time. larry miller, thank you for being with us. do stick with us and bbc news. thank you for your company. we will see you soon. hello. thursday brought an east—west split to the uk weather—wise. well, certainly in terms of where we had the blue sky or where we had the grey sky. across parts of eastern scotland and down the eastern side of england, some were treated to a largely sunny day from dawn until dusk, where it was the reverse across some western areas. a view from wales, cloudy from dawn until dusk. it�*s the cloud that�*s going to win out for friday and the weekend. high pressure, lots of settled weather to come, but trapped underneath this high pressure, plenty of cloud. now, where there will have been some clear spells overnight — parts of eastern scotland, northeast england — a frost to start friday, but also some mist and fog around, and particularly through parts of yorkshire, the east midlands and east anglia. some dense patches in places, perhaps affecting travel, and some may lingerfor much of the day in a few spots. you get the idea for the forecast, though, for friday with lots of cloud around. the cloud thick enough to produce a bit of drizzle here and there. breezy with it through the channel islands into parts of south—west england, south wales. through here, though, there could be a few sunny spells, as there will be towards parts of scotland and again north—east england. temperatures on a par with thursday, although just tending to go a little bit lower, and that�*s a trend that continues through the weekend. friday night into saturday morning, a lot of cloud around, some mist and fog. again, the clearest skies in scotland, so this is where we�*re most likely to get a frost as the weekend begins, but there could be a few pockets, too, towards north—east england. with that area of high pressure i showed you earlier, a lot of settled weather over the weekend. a lot of cloud, it�*ll be mainly dry and again temperatures just starting to edge down a few degrees over the weekend. and still quite breezy on saturday through the english channel, channel islands, far south—west of england. could be a few brighter breaks here as there may be towards the far west of wales, more particularly into scotland. elsewhere, a good deal of cloud, fewer temperatures in double figures at this stage, it�*s mid to high single figures. and plenty of cloud around again on sunday, could be drizzly in a few spots, but there�*s also a chance of seeing one or two brighter breaks here and there. now, for the most part, temperatures in single figures. it will brighten up into next week, but the trend is for things to turn even colder as we go through the rest of the week in the lead—up to christmas. apart from that, what exactly is on our way christmas weather—wise, remains to be seen. this is bbc news — the headlines: the uk has announced record covid infection figures for the second day in a row — as the world health organization says the new strain — omicron — is spreading at an unprecedented rate. presidentjoe biden has said that the omicron variant has now arrived in the united states. here in the uk, counting is under way in the north shropshire by—election — which was triggered by the resignation of the conservative mp owen paterson. he was found to have broken lobbying rules. a bad result could heap more pressure on prime minister borisjohnson. scientists estimate last year�*s catastrophic wildfires in the world�*s largest tropical wetland — the pantanal in south america — killed as many as 17 million animals. they identified the species of three hundred reptiles, birds and mammal carcasses after walking more than 100 kilometres across mapped sections of the region. london is currently being hit hardest by the wave