also tonight... nearly a week after the typhoon in the philippines we report from one of the worst affected areas. you can see up there on the roof, it has been completely torn off like a can of sardines. 90% of the buildings here have been damaged. and is comedy in danger of being �*cancelled' because of sensitivity over controversial subjects? we have a special report. coming up in sport on the bbc news channel, three all—premier league ties in the quarterfinals of the efl cup tonight, with tottenham and west ham looking to reach the last four. good evening. for the first time since the start of the pandemic nearly two years ago the uk has recorded more than 100,000 new cases of coronavirus in a 2k hour period. despite that high figure the latest evidence from several studies suggests that fewer people are having to go to hospital with the new variant 0micron. but experts say they need more evidence before they can be certain. during the day the health secretary sajid javid announced that the quarantine period in england for people who test positive self isolation in england is to be cut from ten to seven days from today. the condition is that two negative lateral flow tests needed. people will need two negative test results on day six and day seven and those tests must be taken 2a hours apart. it's hoped this will give more flexibility over the christmas period, as well as easing pressure on the economy with staffing levels badly affected in many areas. 0ur medical editor fergus walsh has the latest. another record day for covid—19 cases and boosterjabs. but as the omicron wave surges, at last some positive early evidence from three separate studies, all indicating it poses less of a threat than the delta variant. research by imperial college london found around a 40% reduction in the risk of being admitted to hospitalfor a night or more compared to delta. a scottish study suggested there was a 55% lower risk of being hospitalised with omicron, but it was based on only a few cases. while in south africa, 0micron patients were thought to be around 75% less likely to need hospital treatment. rather than omicron being intrinsically milder, scientists think this is probably due to the build—up of immunity from previous infections and vaccination. but it is still good news. these are very encouraging signs indeed. and it does mean that the models being presented to us or being presented to the government which have largely been based on a seeming rather pessimistically that omicron was of the same severity as delta, i'm sure are being revised very rapidly at the moment. the festive getaway has begun. and there was an early christmas present for many who thought they'd be isolating on the 25th, after the rules in england cut the quarantine period from ten to seven days. lee is already anticipating heading home. his lateral flow on day six was negative this morning. if tomorrow's is clear, he's free. well, it's saved christmas for me. i thought i was kind of here until midnight on boxing day in self—isolation, so i can go back to the family home now and see my young daughter. people ending isolation early are urged to be cautious and not visit crowded or poorly ventilated places, because even after a week, it's still possible to be carrying the virus and it not show up on lateral flow tests. more than 51 million people aged over 12 in the uk have had at least one covid vaccine. nearly 31 million, three doses. now all 16 and 17—year—olds will be eligible for a booster. and those in line for first jabs is to get even younger. in the united states and several european countries, all five to 11—year—olds are being offered covid jabs. in texas, these therapy dogs provided a useful distraction. here, only five to 11 in at risk groups will be eligible for now. they will get two shots eight weeks apart, each one third of the adult dose. we shots eight weeks apart, each one third of the adult dose.— third of the adult dose. we know these vaccines _ third of the adult dose. we know these vaccines are _ third of the adult dose. we know these vaccines are effective - third of the adult dose. we know these vaccines are effective at i these vaccines are effective at preventing serious disease, that is the one thing they do reliably. it makes absolute sense we offer those children that are at high risk the benefit of protection from vaccination now that the vaccine is available for the age group. idea? available for the age group. new treatments _ available for the age group. new treatments continue _ available for the age group. new treatments continue to be rolled out, such as antiviral pills. that should keep many of the most vulnerable from falling seriously ill once infected. the concern is, the huge number of cases, even if mostly mild, could still lead to a dangerous spike in hospital admissions next month. so the scale of the 0micron threat remains uncertain. fergus walsh, bbc news. let's look at the latest coronavirus figures in detail. there were 106,122 new infections recorded in the latest 2a hour period. the average over the past week is now 91,888 new cases every day. the number of people in hospital with covid is 8,008 the first time it's been more than 8000 for a month. 140 deaths were recorded, that's of people who died within 28 days of a positive test. 112 covid—related deaths were recorded on average every day in the past week. 0n vaccinations, a record number of people had their boosters yesterday, just under1 million bring the average over the past week to more than 873,000 a day in total nearly 31 million have had a booster that's 53.6% of the population, aged over 12. 0ur medical editor fergus walsh joins us now. clearly, a lot of interest in these studies that we mentioned earlier on. how do you read them? there are rounds on. how do you read them? there are grounds tonight _ on. how do you read them? there are grounds tonight for _ on. how do you read them? there are grounds tonight for some _ on. how do you read them? there are grounds tonight for some very - grounds tonight for some very cautious optimism. i put it no stronger than that. the data, preliminary, there is a lot more research needed but so much is riding on it, decisions that will affect people's lives, the economy and the nhs. but these three studies all point in the same positive direction, that 0micron is going to cause mild infection for most and delta. that doesn't mean this is a mild virus. if you are not vaccinated, you run a big risk, because it is so contagious and they are the people who are tending to fill up the beds, especially in intensive care. a lot of protection from vaccination. uk wide, the hospital numbers have been fairly flat, but in london, which saw the first of the 0micron wave, they had 300 hospital covid admission yesterday, the highest number since early february. but still, a third of what we saw in january. but the worst of the 0micron wave will not be felt until next month, when we are again in deep midwinter. fergus, many thanks — are again in deep midwinter. fergus, many thanks for— are again in deep midwinter. fergus, many thanks for the _ are again in deep midwinter. fergus, many thanks for the latest _ are again in deep midwinter. fergus, many thanks for the latest analysis. | many thanks for the latest analysis. fergus walsh, our medical editor. in wales, the first minister mark drakeford said they were facing a very serious situation as he announced a series of new restrictions to take effect from boxing day. the rule of six will be applied again meaning that groups no larger than six people can meet in pubs, restaurants and cinemas. events will be limited to 50 people outdoors or 30 indoors. mr drakeford said the decision was in response to the �*sharp rise' in cases of the 0micron variant. 0ur wales correspondent hywel griffith reports. be bold, or tread carefully. once again the welsh government has chosen the most careful path through the pandemic. raising the alert level as a precaution before really knowing where 0micron will lead us. from boxing day, there are limits on how many people can meet to eat, drink, or go to the cinema. families are advised, but not bound by law, to limit how much they mix in each other�*s homes. for the parsons family, it all feels last—minute, giving people dilemmas over who to choose. we have friends at the local pub, they like to gather. everybody is in a whatsapp group saying it will affect everyone. if a whatsapp group saying it will affect everyone.— a whatsapp group saying it will affect everyone. if they were going to do something, _ affect everyone. if they were going to do something, they _ affect everyone. if they were going to do something, they should - affect everyone. if they were going to do something, they should have given— to do something, they should have given people more notice thanjust a couple _ given people more notice thanjust a couple of— given people more notice thanjust a couple of days before christmas. i don't _ couple of days before christmas. i don't think— couple of days before christmas. i don't think people will listen to the recommendations. last christmas gave us all similar heartbreaking decisions to make. who would be in your bubble, who would be left out in the cold? this year, well, there is no last—minute lockdown but there is the same uneasy sense that the rules are changing day by day. today's announcement is the third in wales in less than a week. and even more measures could follow. if we need to do more, the welsh government will not stand back. we never have. these are difficult decisions. they are not always popular decisions. but if the evidence says to us that more has to be done to prevent unnecessary deaths and avoidable harm, then that is what we will do. it's a warning which stirs strong feelings in the hospitality industry. nick runs five pubs. going back to the rule of six with table service and mandatory masks leaves him with one question. we just don't understand why. there is no evidence _ about transmission of the virus within hospitality. in fact, we are amongst the safest sectors you can find. _ which direction wales takes next feels very uncertain. but now the focus is just on getting to the new year. new restrictions were also announced in northern ireland today. nightclubs will close from the 26th december. from the 27th people will have to remain seated in hospitality venues with a limit of six people at each table. and people will be advised to limit meeting inside private homes to three households. 0ur correspondent chris page has the latest. this christmas in belfast, many much missed winter traditions have returned. but the pandemic is still here for another season. the devolved government has decided 0micron requires a response. these are very difficult decisions for ministers to make. you are trying to get a balance between keeping the pressure off our health service, you are trying to protect the public, you are trying to keep people in work, you are trying to mind people's mental health. so these are finely balanced decisions, they are not easy to take, i have to say. but we think this is our best chance. the measures agreed by ministers here at stormont will mainly affect eating out, other types of socialising and live music. from boxing day, night clubs will have to close and standing won't be allowed out indoor events like concerts. on monday, the new rules for pubs and restaurants will take effect. the hospitality industry says it doesn't have much to celebrate during the festivities that haven't really happened. this business owner is closing one of his restaurants this week because of cancelled bookings and the spread of the virus. he says the sector deserves more help. this one small restaurant in the middle of belfast would collect and hand over over £350,000 per year to the government. and we do that every year. we have done it for the last 17 years. that's a lot of money. to date we have received £20,000 of help from the government. i don't think that is a fair deal. people were onlyjust getting used to going out to clubs and gigs again. but there is new uncertainty about that, too. events promoters are worried the live scene here might not recover. i think that you are looking at a pretty long—term effect of these restrictions and closures on business. and it's a huge concern. belfast is in a relatively vulnerable position for touring acts anyway because it is a relatively small market. unpredictability has become routine. but northern ireland isn't returning to the standstill of lockdown. whether more severe restrictions will be brought in here will depend on how much illness 0micron causes and how many people get their booster jabs. chris page, bbc news, belfast. so, new restrictions coming in after christmas in scotland, wales and northern ireland. but what about england? 0ur political correspondent jonathan blake is in westminster. what does that look like? the government _ what does that look like? the government is _ what does that look like? tie: government is holding what does that look like? tue: government is holding firm tonight, i am told there is no change in the view in downing street that the data just isn't there yet to justify any new restrictions. of course, the prime minister has confirmed there won't be any further measures brought in before christmas, and we are not expecting downing street to make any announcements before christmas about what might be brought in afterwards. so, that gives some certainty for the next few days, at least. but there is clearly a contrast tonight between england and the rest of the uk, scotland, wales and northern ireland, people have a clear idea of what is going to happen beyond boxing day. and the welsh labour first minister, mark drakeford, accusing the uk government being in accusing the uk government being in a state of paralysis. if it does decide to act, mps will be brought back to westminster to approve any new measures, and those studies we were hearing about, tentatively suggesting 0micron may be milder than previous variants, will be seized upon by conservative mps as vindication of their view that new measures are not needed. let's take a look at some of today's other covid developments around the world. the world health organization says there should be enough vaccines for all adults globally by the end of march. but they said that no country can boost its way out of the pandemic, warning that wealthy countries are rushing to give boosterjabs at the expense of poorer nations trying to provide initial vaccinations. france has opened covid vaccinations to children aged 5—11 today. they warned that infections could exceed 100,000 by the end of the month, with the 0micron variant becoming the dominant one. and in austria they're introducing new restrictions including a 10pm closing time in the hospitality sector to slow the spread of the 0micron variant after christmas. they also classified britain, denmark, the netherlands and norway as risk areas meaning that arrivals from those countries must go into quarantine if they have not had a boosterjab. it's nearly a week since the philippines were struck by a typhoon the strongest this year. at least 375 people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands have been left without shelter. the red cross says there is carnage in many areas with no power, no communications and very little water. one of the worst affected areas was the popular tourist island of siargao. from there our correspondent howard johnson sent this report. devastation as far as the eye can see. super typhoon rai first made landfall here last thursday, packing winds in excess of 150 miles an hour and dumping huge quantities of rainfall. this dramatic footage captured the moment a new sports hall, doubling as an evacuation centre, was torn to shreds. there was no protection, there was no roof, there was no wall. we were literally lying down there. and the entire nature force was bashing on us with full power, with full force. we had nothing there. the governor of the island estimates that 90% of buildings have been damaged. this is my house... this man shows me to where his home and convenience store once stood. i'm scared because, my children, there's no more food, and my house is broken from the typhoon. i don't know how i'm going to start again my store and my home. this is a scene that we have seen many times. the roof has been ripped off like a can of sardines. the metal�*s been torn back. glass has smashed up there. and you can see the roof in tatters down here. and so many people are without shelter at the moment, and people here are calling for more support. they need more aid, they need more water, more food. and, at the moment, the supplies are coming through, but they're not getting through quickly enough. prices for filtered bottled water have doubled in the last week, forcing some to find other sources. this family are drawing water from an old well, but it isn't clean. diarrhoea cases are on the rise here. it's bad for the stomach, but we don't have a choice. we need to drink. we don't have safe water to drink. at the island's badly damaged airport, aid is getting through but in limited quantities. 0utside, residents have been waiting for up to three days for a flight off the island. it's leading to a sense of panic. there's nothing. there's no system. we have to figure it out ourselves. that's it. the real pandemic is not having a system. sorry. as night falls, a newly arrived philippine red cross team help islanders to speak with loved ones using their satellite phone. help is on hand here, but there needs to be a lot, lot more. howard johnson, bbc news, siargao island. millions of people will be playing video games over the christmas period. for many it is just an enjoyable way of spending time online with friends but for some it can become an addiction one that puts a terrible strain on family life. bbc news has gained access to the uk's only treatment facility for addiction to video games. our technology correspondent marc cieslak has more. having people around, you do feel a degree he'll be just upstairs gaming all the time and he'll be shouting and cursing. stephen and louise are describing life with their 16—year—old son, who suffers from gaming disorder. until quite recently in the uk they would have to have sought help privately but now the nhs has created a specialist clinic that uses therapy to help sufferers. hello, thank you for calling the national centre for gaming disorder. based in west london, it is part of the national centre for behavioural addictions. many families see the facility as a lifeline. it's really devastating for families. parents are very, very worried . sometimes it can cause arguments. for parents trying to get people to stop gaming they may do things like turning off wi—fi and that can cause massive arguments, threatening behaviour. quite extreme, in some cases. this is the first time tv cameras had been allowed into this facility. so far, 300 patients have walked through the doors, with many referred by parents who are desperate for help. so, often people are really struggling in managing their emotions. they can struggle with anger, anxiety and low mood. often they also experience physical symptoms in terms of loss of sleep, and that's often because people will be gaming at night to connect with gamers abroad. yeah, so we need to think about the groups we are going to start in the new year. this is the only nhs clinic in the uk treating gaming disorder. its patients are spread out across england and wales, and are often treated via video chat. therapists here reiterate that this condition is, in fact, rare. a recent oxford university report concluded that gaming has many benefits for people's mental health and well—being, especially helping many get through the pandemic. however, for stephen and louise, who are only at the start of their son's treatment programme, the clinic has already helped them cope better. what was most helpful for us is talking to other parents. they made a special support group for parents who have the same gaming needs, oraddiction, whatever you want to call it. we meet once a fortnight on zoom to discuss how we're doing. the greatest thing about that, in terms of benefit, is to realise that you're not alone. there's loads of other people up and down the country and all across the world that are going through the exact same situation. what do you think the future looks like for your son, and what do you think the future looks like for you as a family? i feel optimistic because, on facebook, ifollow a lot of people who are very like our son, but they're adults now. and i follow them because they're hugely insightful, but also really helps me feel he will find his way. marc cieslak, bbc news. dame maureen lipman, one of britain's most distinguished actors, says the fear of being �*cancelled' has left comedy on the verge of being wiped out, with comedians staying away from controversial subjects for fear of not being booked again. and that fear is notjust evident among comedians a poll shared with bbc news suggests that more than half of those surveyed stopped themselves from expressing their views for fear of getting a negative reaction. our culture editor katie razzall has been investigating. i'm depressed and suicidal. guess where i'm working? it's stand—up comedy night in manchester. new act faizan is telling jokes that some could find offensive. i was working at manchester airport in aviation security... laughter. a depressed, suicidal muslim at the airport... but who decides what's funny, and what will offend? and is this tension a reflection of what's happening in wider society, too? comedians are very paranoid that they might word something the wrong way and then that's out there forever. and then they're cancelled and will never gig again. is this your idea of a joke, then? maureen lipman, starring in coronation street right now, has a dramatic prediction. i think it's a revolution. something has to be forbidden to make you really laugh. to make you really belly laugh. it's when you shouldn't be laughing. this cancel culture, this cancelling, this punishment, it's everywhere. punishment, you know, an eye for an eye. you said that, therefore you must never work again. we are, literally, we're on the cusp of wiping out comedy. so, i'm not trying to offend anyone, but... comedian russell kane says comedy is in fact in rude health. i was good at dungeons and dragons, so... i don't think anyone is saying we can't be offended. no—one is saying that. there has been a massive, much—needed shift in the conversation around gender, around men's attitudes to women, around consent, blah blah blah. the sort of ironic, lad humour of "yeah, she's up for it," which at the time i'm pretty sure was delivered with irony by 99.9% of the people, but now, irony or not, not appropriate. a poll suggests in normal life people are stopping themselves from saying what they really think on certain subjects forfear of being judged. 57% of those asked said they self—censor on topics including immigration and transgender rights, particularly if their opinions are seen as less politically correct. perhaps it is obvious that they don't speak openly with people they have just met. nearly half say they don't. but 40% keep views quiet at work and nearly a third don't tell friends their real views on these subjects either. i'm not worried about being judged. i would just far rather not say something because i don't think it's right. at the end of the day, making offensive remarks is bullying. 0k, could you tell me the last time you were weighed, what was your weight? eight pounds four ounces... what's happening on the comedy stage and in real life is a sign outdated views are being weeded out. or a worrying assault on free speech, depending on your perspective. culture often leads the way on the big issues of our time as we all navigate what we can say, and what it's best not to. katie razzell, bbc news, manchester. that's it. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. have a very good night. good evening. as we head towards the christmas weekend the weather theme is on the change and we can see that with the feel of the weather. first thing on wednesday morning, the coldest start of the winter so far, with temperatures down as low as —10. quite widespread, the cold, in actual fact. and it was frosty with it. 0ut out to the west is certainly a milder story and as we move into thursday, the milder air is going to start to win the battle. it's really pushing quite a lot of clout across the country and outbreaks of rain at times. the rain light and patchy across england and with some heavier burst through northern ireland, scotland and in particular. here still sitting in the colder air but look at double figures further south. this is bbc news. the headlines... daily covid—19 cases in the uk have exceeded 100,000 for the first time, as the omicron variant continues to spread. it's the highest daily reported number since mass testing began in may and june last year. the wave of 0micron appears to be milder according to preliminary studies published in the uk and south africa. early evidence suggests fewer people are needing hospital treatment than with other variants. the head of the world health organisation has warned world leaders that no country can boost its way out of the pandemic — and they should divert supply to countries where there are vaccine shortages. more than 13 million people in the chinese city of shay—an have been ordered to stay at home as authorities attempt to tackle a covid outbreak there. china has a strict zero—covid strategy, using mass testing and lockdown to stop outbreaks.