and entertainment venues. new south wales proposes to charge unvaccinated people for covid medical costs. the doctors�* union says it's unethical. president putin again insists the west must give russia guarantees that nato won't expand to admit ukraine, and says he's initiated high—level talks with the us. translation: if we are plunged in a conflict? i but we don't want that. it is not our choice. this is why i responded to president biden's proposal. and the duke and duchess of sussex issue the first photograph of their daughter lilibet, who was born injune, on their festive card. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. i'mjane i'm jane hill. the uk has again recorded its highest number of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began — nearly 120,000. it's the second day in a row that the uk has recorded more than 100,000 cases — 119,789 today. very nearly 120,000. but the government has said there will be no announcement about any new restrictions before christmas. in scotland, nightclubs have been told to close for at least three weeks from 27th december, and the rule of six in some hospitality venues is coming back into force in wales on boxing day. it comes as tighter restrictions are being implemented across europe, with spain announcing plans to again make it compulsory to wear a mask outdoors. however, two early studies have indicated that the omicron variant may cause milder illness than delta, with patients between 30—70% less likely to need hospital treatment. there are still concerns, though, that the sheer number of infections could overwhelm health services. joining me now is our health correspondent, smitha mundasad. she has been looking through a lot of statistics. in terms of that uk daily figure first of all, second consecutive day. we daily figure first of all, second consecutive day.— daily figure first of all, second consecutive da . ~ ., , , consecutive day. we are still seeing cases rising — consecutive day. we are still seeing cases rising across _ consecutive day. we are still seeing cases rising across the _ consecutive day. we are still seeing cases rising across the uk, - consecutive day. we are still seeing cases rising across the uk, but - cases rising across the uk, but there is some good news here. the uk health security agency have put out some early data, and they looked at 100 people admitted to hospital with the omicron variant. they found people were about 30 to 45% less likely to attend a&e with omicron. this is good news and it fits with some other preliminary data that we've seen from the uk and south africa recently. but the problem is that the severity of the illness is not the only measure scientists are looking at, and we know that omicron is more transmissible. that's partly because two doses don't offer as much protection, and we heard today that the third dose of the booster after ten weeks, we see some protection against getting symptoms starting to wane. this means that we could still see rising number of cases being translated into more cases being translated into more cases ending up in hospital, particularly if the virus hits more vulnerable people. experts will be watching very closely over the next few weeks to see how severe the disease is, whether the booster does protect against severe to get disease. they may have to think about other strategies if not, but their message today is clear — people should get the booster. there is still about 8% of the population who haven't had their first dose, so they are calling on people to get their boosters as soon as possible. it's so interesting that the assessment so far, the symptoms are much milder. that is obviously very good news for the individual, but it doesn't remove the concern, and this is one thing politicians are watching, that that's great news. but if you have an enormous number of people who still require some hospital treatment, that's taking up a hospital bed that could be used for something else, and that is the concern around what it does to the health service in this country and other countries.— health service in this country and other countries. they'll be watching very closely — other countries. they'll be watching very closely and _ other countries. they'll be watching very closely and say _ other countries. they'll be watching very closely and say the _ other countries. they'll be watching very closely and say the next - other countries. they'll be watching | very closely and say the next couple weeks are key in terms of whether we will see this increased tidal wave of cases of omicron translating into more people ending up in hospital. if these people are vulnerable and older, and more people are likely to mix over christmas, then this could put a huge strain on the nhs, and thatis put a huge strain on the nhs, and that is one huge thing politicians, clinicians and everyone will be watching and hoping that the booster programme will help prevent some of that. ,, ., ., ~ , ., , . that. smitha, thank you very much. lookin: that. smitha, thank you very much. looking through _ that. smitha, thank you very much. looking through all— that. smitha, thank you very much. looking through all the _ that. smitha, thank you very much. looking through all the latest - that. smitha, thank you very much. looking through all the latest data. | looking through all the latest data. let's stay with this and talk to... professor markjit is an epidemiologist at the london school of hygiene and tropical medicine. he's also part of spi—m, a committee that provides disease modelling advice to the government. hello, welcome. great to be here. it's ureat hello, welcome. great to be here. it's great to _ hello, welcome. great to be here. it's great to have _ hello, welcome. great to be here. it's great to have your _ hello, welcome. great to be here. it's great to have your expertise i it's great to have your expertise because you work in the field of modelling. nothing is more important right now. what is your take on all the statistics that are coming out? this very high daily figure of infections again, balanced with the fact that for a lot of people so far, we think the omicron variant isn't quite as damaging, a bit milder than delta.— isn't quite as damaging, a bit milder than delta. well, the very raid milder than delta. well, the very rapid increase _ milder than delta. well, the very rapid increase in _ milder than delta. well, the very rapid increase in the _ milder than delta. well, the very rapid increase in the number - milder than delta. well, the very rapid increase in the number of l rapid increase in the number of cases is driven by omicron. it's really what we were expecting when we saw the growth rate in south africa. this is a strain that spreads extremely quickly either because... because it also can escape some of the community. the decrease in severity that we've seen from the reports, this is good news, although the decreases are not big enough to overcome the huge wave of cases. but it is still good news. it means the wave won't be quite as big as it would be if the severity was worse. , ., , , ., ., worse. yes, absolutely. the variant, the security — worse. yes, absolutely. the variant, the security agency _ worse. yes, absolutely. the variant, the security agency put _ worse. yes, absolutely. the variant, the security agency put out - worse. yes, absolutely. the variant, the security agency put out more - the security agency put out more details and made the point that the variant could be due large numbers of people in hospital. can we touch on what our health correspondent was just mentioning? begins to wane ten weeks after someone has had the booster dose. what does this mean for the booster programme? weill. booster dose. what does this mean for the booster programme? well, i think it's too — for the booster programme? well, i think it's too early _ for the booster programme? well, i think it's too early to _ for the booster programme? well, i think it's too early to say _ for the booster programme? well, i think it's too early to say because i think it's too early to say because these are very preliminary data and we also need to see what happens after ten weeks. does it plateau to a lower level? so i think for now, on a personal level, there's a big way going on right now. we'll have to really work out what we need. do we actually need a different vaccine? are we actually going to be ok with one booster?— ok with one booster? rights. i'm sor , ok with one booster? rights. i'm sorry. i'm — ok with one booster? rights. i'm sorry, i'm reading _ ok with one booster? rights. i'm sorry, i'm reading these - ok with one booster? rights. i'm sorry, i'm reading these new- sorry, i'm reading these new comments as soon as they come in. i appreciate your expertise. i'm not trying to put you on a spot, but it's very interesting to read these new pieces of information. there is uncertainty about what will happen when omicron reaches older age groups because most of those catching it and going to hospital are under the age of 40, so your thoughts on that because it tells us how much we don't know still? yes. how much we don't know still? yes, and the investigators _ how much we don't know still? yes and the investigators and edinburgh were honest to say the data did not have a lot of these older people, so they are quite uncertain about what happened. we know that older people unfortunately have a higher risk of severe illness, of being hospitalised eyes or even dying from covid in general. whether the side of the decrease in severity will translate also into those who are older who might have weaker immune systems, i think we'll find out in the coming days as we get more. unfortunately, we'll see more hospitalisations.— unfortunately, we'll see more hospitalisations. right. we will talk in those _ hospitalisations. right. we will talk in those coming _ hospitalisations. right. we will talk in those coming days - hospitalisations. right. we will talk in those coming days i'm l hospitalisations. right. we will. talk in those coming days i'm sure. professor, thank you so much. i really appreciate your time. let's turn to the politics of all of this. we reference all the time that ministers are keeping an eye on this situation. the uk health secretary sajid javid said the government has no plans to announce any further covid restrictions for england before christmas. we are not planning any further announcements this week. i want people to, despite the caution we are all taking, the sensible caution, people should enjoy their christmases with families and friends, of course remain cautious, and we will keep the situation under review. we're learning all the time from this new data and we will keep analysing that data, and if we need to do anything more, we will but nothing will happen before christmas. mrjavid also reacted to the rising number of nhs staff who have been off—work because of infection rates. these early reports, they suggest that the risk we work incredibly closely to my colleagues in the nhs. they are putting — colleagues in the nhs. they are putting together plans to deal with that, but _ putting together plans to deal with that, but the biggest thing they're doing _ that, but the biggest thing they're doing which will help us more than anything _ doing which will help us more than anything is — doing which will help us more than anything is a vaccination programme and get _ anything is a vaccination programme and get used to it now. how concerned — and get used to it now. how concerned are _ and get used to it now. how concerned are you _ and get used to it now. how concerned are you about - and get used to it now. how concerned are you about the current situation? ,, ., ~ ., . , ., situation? nhs workforces are already under _ situation? nhs workforces are already under pressure - situation? nhs workforces are already under pressure before j already under pressure before omicron _ already under pressure before omicron. there is increased pressure _ omicron. there is increased pressure. especially if someone needs— pressure. especially if someone needs to — pressure. especially if someone needs to isolate if they have a positive — needs to isolate if they have a positive case. but some of the recent— positive case. but some of the recent moves we've had, if you take tests _ recent moves we've had, if you take tests in_ recent moves we've had, if you take tests in the — recent moves we've had, if you take tests in the last two days, i think all of— tests in the last two days, i think all of this— tests in the last two days, i think all of this will help. chris hopson is the chief executive of nhs providers, the body which represents healthcare trusts in england. hello again. welcome. let's start with that point, because everyone's affected by omicron and people who work for the health service are part of society, so you are seeing the numbers of staff who can come into work diminishing across the board. good afternoon. the services under huge amount of pressure. we mustn't forget that we shouldn't just concentrate on covid care. we're trying to provide long covid care at a point when the emergency care pathway is very busy. we're trying to get through those backlogs, particularly concentrating on the most urgent cases. we're trying to do that booster extension campaign and trying to do that exactly as you say— particularly places where infection rates are high. exactly as you say with increasing staff absences. by the way, that's on top of the number of vacancies. 100,000 vacancies. we have to come very reliant on shifts that we are finding it difficult to fill. you have this very awkward combination of a very, very busy nhs in terms of demands and people needing care, and at the same time, an incredibly pressured workforce with in some cases, some really pretty rapid increases in staff absences. it's a difficult combination, but we're doing the very best we can. and difficult combination, but we're doing the very best we can. and what with the people _ doing the very best we can. and what with the people you _ doing the very best we can. and what with the people you represent - doing the very best we can. and what with the people you represent say - doing the very best we can. and what with the people you represent say is. with the people you represent say is the single most important thing that any of us can do right now, given that that combination of circumstances that they face heading into christmas? i circumstances that they face heading into christmas?— into christmas? i thought the bit ou were into christmas? i thought the bit you were doing _ into christmas? i thought the bit you were doing before _ into christmas? i thought the bit you were doing before i - into christmas? i thought the bit you were doing before ijoined i into christmas? i thought the bit l you were doing before ijoined was absolutely spot on. there will clearly be a potential risk in terms of older people catching the omicron variant, so i would particularly encourage people to be very, very careful over what they do over christmas. so, iwill careful over what they do over christmas. so, i will be seeing my mum on christmas day, but i'm absolutely going to ensure that i have a lateral flow test, and everybody else in my family has a lateral flow test before we see my mum. we will be very careful about how close we get to her and we will also make sure that the rooms we're in are properly ventilated. so, i think everybody has a particular duty to be careful when they need to be —— meet people who don't normally meet and to be particularly careful around people who are vulnerable. and we all know, i hope, they're on the web plain to see about the precautionary measures we should be taking when we meet people who we don't normally would live with. and don't normally would live with. and the studies — don't normally would live with. and the studies today that suggest that omicron doesn't produce such severe illness as delta, i'm interested in your take in that because that can alter some people's mindset possibly about it. it can change her opinion, some people who think if they're not going to be as ill, are the risks quite as great? taste going to be as ill, are the risks quite as great?— going to be as ill, are the risks quite as great? we know there is some good _ quite as great? we know there is some good news _ quite as great? we know there is some good news in _ quite as great? we know there is some good news in these - quite as great? we know there is| some good news in these studies. they do show that potentially, omicron variant does have less severity. what's interesting is if you look at statistics this afternoon, in terms of hospitalisation rates in london, they've gone up by 3% overnight compared to 9%, 5% and 7% over the previous three days. in fact, the increase today is lower than it's been over the previous three days, so this is not exponential growth. not the kind that we were fearing, but the key point which is what all of the authors of those studies are pointing to is two things. one is sheer number of infection in terms of yet another record day in terms of yet another record day in terms of the number of infections and it only takes a small percentage of those to come into hospital for the nhs to come under pressure. the second, what you are dwelling on with the professor, we still don't know exactly what's going to happen in terms of the point when this variant spreads to older people, and we could see a significant increase in the number of hospitalisations, which is why we're preparing as carefully as we are to ensure that if there is an increase in those numbers, then we would be able to cope with it. but itjust reinforces, jane, and i'm really glad you asked me the previous question, we all have a responsibility to look after our loved ones, to look after our friends, look after their loved ones, to look after our friends, look aftertheirfamilies. friends, look after their families. we friends, look aftertheirfamilies. we need to take appropriate precautions as we mix, as we inevitably will, over the next few days. we hope you do manage to have a lovely christmas day with your mum, and hope all this goes well. thank you very much. chief executive of nhs providers. let's look more at what's happening in europe now. as we mentioned, amid rising infections, a number of countries are re—introducing coronavirus restrictions. aru na iyengar reports. countries across europe are responding in different ways to the rapidly spreading omicron virus. belgium, as it emerges from a fourth wave of covid infections, is bracing for a fifth. theatres and entertainment venues will have to close their doors on december the 26th, their busiest time of the year. translation: i absolutely agree that we should not take _ risks with public health. but, with these measures, we threaten the mental health of a lot of people. in spain, the government of pedro sanchez has increased the vaccination roll—out, extending this to children under the age of 12. mask—wearing will become compulsory outdoors for the second time. and, in the netherlands, with shops, restaurants and cinemas closed by dutch people and businesses face a very bleak christmas. rising cases mean hospitals have had to cancel other types of surgery. there are now 600 at the icus. but it was at the cost of that we postponed the urgent surgeries for a lot of patients, and what we also did see in last weeks is that the number of people that died, in the total of the netherlands, was higher than expected. italy, the first western country to be hit by the covid—19 pandemic earlier last year, said omicron infections now account for 28% of cases, but daily caseloads of coronavirus remain well below some other european countries, such as britain and germany. aruna iyengar, bbc news. the omicron variant is also spreading fast in australia. in new south wales — the country's most populous state — the number of hospitalised covid patients has nearly doubled over the last week. and the state government has proposed charging unvaccinated people for their covid medical care. the idea would be a departure from australia's system of universal health care, and has been widely criticised. the us food and drug administration has authorised another pill for treating people who are infected with covid. the pill, developed by merck, is taken within five days of the onset of symptoms. tests suggest it reduces covid hospitalisations and deaths by 30%, but it will only be offered to adults who fall into high—risk categories. it's the second such treatment to be authorised in the us in the last two days — after a similar pill, made by pfizer, was approved on wednesday. meanwhile, the pandemic is causing further disruption in the world of top flight football. two more premier league games have been called off due to the ongoing problems with the pandemic. liverpool's game with leeds and wolves' match at home to watford have been postponed because the number of positive covid cases means some teams have insufficient players to fulfil their fixtures. it brings the total number of games cancelled this month in the premier league to 12. some breaking news. it's been announced that the american author and journalistjoan didion has died aged 87. her essays, memoirs, novels and screenplays chronicled contemporary society, as well as her grief over the deaths of her husband and daughter. she'd been suffering from parkinson's disease. russian president vladimir putin has held a wide reaching annual end—of—year press conference in moscow. in more than four hours of questions from journalists, he covered everything from covid vaccines to his thoughts on father frost, the russian version of santa claus, but there was a lot of focus on ukraine. he insisted that russia has a historical right to be involved in eastern ukraine, and blamed nato for bringing missiles to russia's doorstop. but he said he does not want to see an escalation in conflict. i think that should say doorstep. vitaliy shevchenko is the russian editor at bbc monitoring. hello to you. as ever, a lengthy, lengthy press conference. what are some of the key things that you took from that very long session? there was obviously _ from that very long session? there was obviously huge _ from that very long session? there was obviously huge interest - from that very long session? there was obviously huge interest in - from that very long session? ii—ii” was obviously huge interest in his thoughts about the rising tensions around ukraine and the west, as tens and thousands of russian troops have amassed the border. there are fears of invasion and war. it had not exactly played that fear down. translation: we've seen five waves of nato expansion. - now they are in rumania and poland and they are deploying their relevant attack systems over there. that is what we are talking about. you should finally understand, we are not threatening anyone. we did not come to the us borders or to the uk borders. no. they came to our borders and now they are saying that ukraine will also join nato and they will deploy their systems there or not just nato, they will simply deploy it on a bilateral basis. they were deploy their military bases and their attack systems. that is what we are talking about. and you keep demanding some guarantees from us. you must give us the guarantees. well, not reassuring to some. what are your broader thoughts having listened to all of that about where this leaves us in terms of him and relations with the west that have been so fractured?— been so fractured? well, his rhetoric is _ been so fractured? well, his rhetoric is clearly _ been so fractured? well, his rhetoric is clearly becoming | been so fractured? well, his - rhetoric is clearly becoming more expansion and. today, he said ukraine included parts of what he called historical russia. again, he demanded security guarantees from the west, which is that nato will not expand eastward. last week, russia published a list of proposals that will imposed strict limits of what the military can do in eastern europe. it was widely believed to be too far—fetched to be considered, but he said the west was willing to discuss them. translation: i've been talking about our welfare, health care l and infrastructure measures. will they mean a lot if we are plunged in a conflict? but we don't want that. it is not our choice. this is why i responded to president biden's proposal. the ball is in their court now and they should respond, and by and large we are seeing positives. he said washington's reactions have been positive and talks are expected early next year. president putin's rhetoric has been far from consolatory. it was very clear that russia was determined to decide what is going on. russia was determined to decide what is auoin on. . , russia was determined to decide what is auoin on. ., , ., ,, russia was determined to decide what is aoian on. ., , ., ~' russia was determined to decide what is aoain on. ., , ., ~' is going on. vitaliy, thank you so much indeed. _ is going on. vitaliy, thank you so much indeed. listened _ is going on. vitaliy, thank you so much indeed. listened to - is going on. vitaliy, thank you so much indeed. listened to four i is going on. vitaliy, thank you so i much indeed. listened to four hours orso much indeed. listened to four hours or so of that news conference there tjy or so of that news conference there by vladimir putin. a programme to help afghan refugees fleeing the taliban settle in the uk will open in january. the scheme, which was first announced in august shortly after taliban forces took control of kabul, will provide assistance to up to 20,000 refugees. the government previously confirmed it would take 5,000 refugees in the first year, with more than 300 councils pledging to support families. ministers of belgium's multiparty government have decided to close much more on all those stories on the bbc news website and app. you're watching bbc news. ministers of belgium's multiparty government have decided to close the country's two nuclear power plants and their seven reactors by 2025. the decision could leave belgium with an electricity shortfall if alternative generating capacity is not brought on stream. ministers have, however, pledged funds for research into other forms of nuclear power. us presidentjoe biden has signed into a law a bill that requires all companies to prove that goods imported from china's xinjiang region were not produced with forced labour. the bill, which passed congress last week, also includes sanctions against individuals alleged to be responsible. many big us companies such as coca—cola, nike and apple that will be affected have criticised the law and some face make changes to their supply chains because of it. our north america business correspondent, samira hussain, has the details. the white house was not in support initially of this new law, that was being worked out by congress, but eventually and pretty much late in the game, we heard from the white house that they were, in fact, going to support this rule. and it was something congress had put together and it was something they had pushed through, got it passed through the house and senate with only one congressional leader actually not voting in favour for it. what it really signifies is just the kind of pressure that the united states wants to put on china and the best way to do that, in their minds, is to do so using these financial pressures. so, by making sure that multinational corporations, american multinational corporations, and around the world, are prevented from using any forced labour from that particular region, the united states is able to exert some power over china and its treatment of the uighur peoples. samira hussain in new york. the prince of wales and the duchess of cornwall will be with the queen on christmas day. the queen will be staying at windsor for her first christmas without the duke of edinburgh, rather than travelling to sandringham as usual. the queen took the decision to remain at windsor as a "precautionary" measure following rising covid—19 case numbers. meanwhile, the duke and duchess of sussex have sent their best wishes to supporters in a message featuring the first publicly—released photograph of their baby daughter, lilibet. the card shows harry and meghan smiling at lilibet as the duchess holds her aloft, while their son archie sits on his father's knee. now it's time for a look at the weather with louise. we will continue to see rain moving into much of scotland. it stays cold in the far north and further south, stays cold in the far north and furthersouth, it's stays cold in the far north and further south, it's a rather drab afternoon. notice will be milder temperatures here. as we go through the night still with that cold air, we could see the rain turned to snow. behind it, it's a drab, dreary night with patchy mist and fog forming, still relatively mild but fog could be an issue first thing on christmas morning. if you're up early, that's worth bearing in mind. it will lift to low cloud to a rather dreary christmas eve for many. the rain becoming light and patchy in scotland, but through southwest england and wales, eventually northern ireland, we will see wet and windy weather arriving here. milder into the south, stakeholder in the north. —— staying colder. hello this is bbc news. the headlines: for a second day in a row, the uk tops 100,000 daily covid cases — making it a record high since the pandemic. people catching omicron are 50% to 70 % less likely to need hospital care compared with previous variants — that's according to the uk health security agency. the new analysis also shows the vaccine's ability to stop you catching omicron starts to wane ten weeks after a booster dose. tighter restrictions are being implemented across europe spain is reintroducing mandatory wearing of masks outdoors and belgium is to close theatres and entertainment venues. new south wales proposes to charge unvaccinated people for covid medical costs the doctors' union says it's unethical. sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, here's hugh. despite all the resolve to keep football going through the busy festive period to matches have been postponed today due to the increasing impact of covid—19 in the football league. only 12 games are currently still on. never pull against leeds and wallops against watford are in the top right because of cases of each of a club and it means 12 premier league matches in total are now being affected and all but four teams. one boxing day game thatis but four teams. one boxing day game that is still going ahead is every ten trip to bernie. any class cannot understand why he says they only have 950 outfield players. ilustith understand why he says they only have 950 outfield players. with the in'uries have 950 outfield players. with the injuries that — have 950 outfield players. with the injuries that we _ have 950 outfield players. with the injuries that we had _ have 950 outfield players. with the injuries that we had we _ have 950 outfield players. with the injuries that we had we were - injuries that we had we were expecting the game would be postponed making a lot of away games trying to keep the integrity of the league because you're losing so many players and now i have to think about if i have 11 players and reckon i put them. so i'm surprised we are playing this game.— we are playing this game. some premier league _ we are playing this game. some premier league managers - we are playing this game. some premier league managers have| we are playing this game. some premier league managers have been speculating on how football can adapt to challenges covid—19 is presenting. they are supporting the idea of making the two leg a tfl cup semi finals a one—off game next month. today manchester city boss indicated how serious the issue of fixture congestion and pay her welfare was becoming for the sport. it should be the players or the managers together making something because it's not going to be solved because it's not going to be solved because the business is more important than the welfare. a simple example to me when the argument to be welfare for the players and when everyone decides for themselves we don't do it. i everyone decides for themselves we don't do it. ~' ., , ., don't do it. i think it would be of areat don't do it. i think it would be of great help _ don't do it. i think it would be of great help to — don't do it. i think it would be of great help to have _ don't do it. i think it would be of great help to have five _ don't do it. i think it would be of i great help to have five substitutes and this _ great help to have five substitutes and this would also increase and improve — and this would also increase and improve the situation and the emotional situation within the squad because _ emotional situation within the squad because it's a big difference if he can give — because it's a big difference if he can give five players game time it's also about game time and therefore i would _ also about game time and therefore i would he _ also about game time and therefore i would be much more in favour of in other countries they do that and i think we — other countries they do that and i think we should think about it once again— think we should think about it once again they— think we should think about it once again they would have a few new names — again they would have a few new names. �* ' . ., , again they would have a few new names. �* ' _, , ., , names. and different colleges as well. the squad _ names. and different colleges as well. the squad includes - names. and different colleges as well. the squad includes 11 - names. and different colleges as l well. the squad includes 11 players who were in the uae for the world cup in november but uncapped left arm bolognese have also been pulled up. although it was another englishman who took the headlines paying for the brisbane heat. he scored 78 ofjust 47 balls and he did manage a wicket with the ball and at innings. he hit three sixes in a row before being out for 19. that was 40 runs short of their target. two years after suggesting it would be his final appearance at the australian open, and be merry will be back for the 2022 tournament. after making the most recent division early this year because he tested positive for covid—19. he last paid at the event in 2019 when he thought that might be his last match as a professional because of other injury problems he had at times. she'll be coming to herfirst winter had at times. she'll be coming to her first winter olympics after being named the escape of the women's team credits for beijing. a bronze medallist takes a team of olympic debutantes to china. the other european champions this year. just lying coming from scotland in the last while in relation to covid—19. the scottish government for military personnel would be deployed into three health board areas in january to deployed into three health board areas injanuary to help with that response to coronavirus. 90 staff will be available and implements lasting between four and six weeks. the army military personnel i should say helping next month with the response to coronavirus. there's lots of news today away from covid—19. energy bills will soar another 50% next year unless the government intervenes, the industry has warned. one supplier, edf, described the situation as "critical" as customers, already seeing record bills, are hit with more rises because of surging wholesale gas prices. emma pinchbeck is chief executive of energy uk, the trade body for the energy sector — shejoins me now. good afternoon. is it all about these wholesale gas prices? is good afternoon. is it all about these wholesale gas prices? is the fundamental _ these wholesale gas prices? is the fundamental problem? _ these wholesale gas prices? is the fundamental problem? it - these wholesale gas prices? is the fundamental problem? it is - these wholesale gas prices? is the fundamental problem? it is the i fundamental problem? it is the fundamental problem? it is the fundamental problem. there are costs coming to this system from things like supply failures which have been caused by regulation in the uk. they would be added in the spring but mainly the problem here is the record—breaking costs for gas across europe which we are buying into market and that's why bills are going to go up. market and that's why bills are going to go up-_ market and that's why bills are aoaaintoou.~ , .,. going to go up. when people watching this think, wait _ going to go up. when people watching this think, wait a _ going to go up. when people watching this think, wait a minute _ going to go up. when people watching this think, wait a minute i _ going to go up. when people watching this think, wait a minute i thought - this think, wait a minute i thought we had an energy cap, i thought that's what it was all about. untangle that for us. the price cap response to cost in the market we currently updated twice a year in the spring and in the autumn and essentially it reflects the cost accrued in previous periods so if the cost of buying energy goes up and it has them some 900% since last year than that cost gets passed on since the suppliers have to buy it and then send it on and the point is to make sure the crisis is fair but it changes with the market and that's why we are seeing we need governments to act as well. so what can or should _ governments to act as well. so what can or should the _ governments to act as well. so what can or should the government - governments to act as well. so what can or should the government do? l governments to act as well. so what i can or should the government do? the can or should the government do? tue: government can or should the government do? tts: government is can or should the government do? t"t2 government is responding can or should the government do? tt2 government is responding to can or should the government do? t“t2 government is responding to this crisis may be why they have been doing is removing things like taxation so the ap from bills and of course there's cost around a fit of your beer is in the supply control and the cost of buying energy and we are seeing to the government and the government control in addition to that rule to spread the cost of the last period over a longer period of time which in turn help the price gap and lastly they have sent the retail market serious reform and the retail market serious reform and the retail market serious reform and the retail market is fragile to these changes so to stop it happening again. changes so to stop it happening aaain. ., , .,. changes so to stop it happening aaain. ., _ changes so to stop it happening aaain. ., , ., again. could they act safely? could that be done _ again. could they act safely? could that be done in _ again. could they act safely? could that be done in a _ again. could they act safely? could that be done in a way _ again. could they act safely? could that be done in a way that - that be done in a way that would help people before his next increases in the next couple of months? ~ , , . ., increases in the next couple of months? ~ , . ., , months? absolutely. we have seen measures happening _ months? absolutely. we have seen measures happening all— months? absolutely. we have seen measures happening all over - months? absolutely. we have seen| measures happening all over europe already and the prices they're talking about but it's the economy problem and it will hit and we are worried about things like manufacturing and information. it needs some creative thinking. from the governments. i guess they can act. you might have heard about this story. the competition part of the queens button to believe next year to find another city to grant somewhere city status. gibraltar and the capitals of the falkland islands and the cayman islands are among 39 places vying to win official uk city status. it's the first time british overseas territories and crown dependencies are being included in the competition, as part of the queen's platinum jubilee celebrations. the winners will be announced injune next year. joining us now is leona roberts who is the member of the legislative assembly for stanley, a town in the falkland islands. they've bid to become a city. hello. why are you bidding, why doesn't stanley want to be a city? what would be the benefit? for us it's wonderful _ what would be the benefit? for us it's wonderful for _ what would be the benefit? for us it's wonderful for the _ what would be the benefit? for us it's wonderful for the overseas - it's wonderful for the overseas territory to have the opportunity and next year is going to be special for us as well because it's the 40th anniversary of the wire so to be awarded the status and what is going to be a very emotional and special yearfor us anyway would to be a very emotional and special year for us anyway would be particularly incredible. a huge honour and we are very excited to have our bid in and have everything cost. ~ ., have our bid in and have everything cost. . ., ., ,, have our bid in and have everything cost. . ., ., i. ., have our bid in and have everything cost. . ., ., ., ., ., cost. what do you have to say or arove or cost. what do you have to say or prove or suggest. _ cost. what do you have to say or prove or suggest. what - cost. what do you have to say or prove or suggest. what are - cost. what do you have to say or prove or suggest. what are the i prove or suggest. what are the parameters of this contest? taste prove or suggest. what are the parameters of this contest? we put a lot of work into _ parameters of this contest? we put a lot of work into our _ parameters of this contest? we put a lot of work into our bed _ parameters of this contest? we put a lot of work into our bed into - lot of work into our bed into demonstrating and how it's thriving and unique and very distinct parts of the british family and there are elements that are immediately identifiable with a low red telephone boxes and read letterboxes but it's also very distinct flavour so we try to demonstrate that and some of the others of our town and we sit here on the side and we can frequently see dolphins and even whales nativityjust on our doorstep so we've tried to show how far we've come in the last 40 years since all the sacrifices were made to restore our freedom and the sacrifices were made to restore ourfreedom and had the sacrifices were made to restore our freedom and had seized that opportunity and really develop socially and economically and trying to portray the modern falklands as well because that's also a very big part of next year and it will be a commemorative side and the celebration and looking forward so it's a great opportunity for us to showcase the falklands and to show people what we have to offer as well. there is a lot of work that's gone into it and we are all very helpful and we have got some stiff competition but we would like to think we've got some standout elements two. 39 think we've got some standout elements two.— think we've got some standout elements two. 39 places in the runnina elements two. 39 places in the running as _ elements two. 39 places in the running as we _ elements two. 39 places in the running as we say. _ elements two. 39 places in the running as we say. but - elements two. 39 places in the running as we say. but you - elements two. 39 places in the running as we say. but you will appreciate that they will be lots of people listening to you really don't know that much about the falklands and may not have heard of the falklands conflict depending on their age but they won't know much about stanley and even this process of applying and doing all the interviews you are doing at the moment, even that raises awareness of stanley. is that something that you welcome, could you if it resulted in an influx of tourists is that something you welcome, that greaterawareness? is that something you welcome, that greater awareness? is that something you're after?— you're after? very much so because we appreciate _ you're after? very much so because we appreciate that _ you're after? very much so because we appreciate that we _ you're after? very much so because we appreciate that we are _ you're after? very much so because we appreciate that we are a - you're after? very much so because we appreciate that we are a tiny - we appreciate that we are a tiny little country down at the bottom of the world and most people will know something about 1982 but can be forgiven for not knowing a huge amount more about us. we have got a total population, three and a half thousand and we don't make a huge impact although we tend to think we above our weight so yes absolutely making everybody more aware of who we are and of the opportunities and the reasons to visit the falklands definitely can only be good for us and experimenter of by the sacrifices were made in 1982 and honouring our veterans and the forces that still serve here in the islands. so it's great to be able to talk about the falklands and spread the word a bit more and in terms of encouraging people to come and do business here or visit there are some restrictions at the moment of christ's even though we are talking about covid—19 we've also been impacted by that although less so than most parts of the world i guess but we think we have a lot to offer and hopefully next year we will start to see the weld return to some kind of normality and very much look forward to being able to welcome people back to our islands. so if we could get the city safe that we just had another really wonderful element to our celebrations next year. taste to our celebrations next year. we can rick to our celebrations next year. we can pick up on your enthusiasm. thank you. we wish you a happy christmas. he will talk again if you win. we will find out more in the spring about which of those 39 have been successful. this is a striking tale. scientists have uncovered evidence of a large—scale, prehistoric migration to britain that may be linked to the spread of celtic languages. the mass movement of people started in continental europe between 1,400 bc and 870 bc. the discovery helps to explain the genetic make—up of many people in britain today. let's get more on this with gillian hovell, who is an archaeologist. this is striking. possibly something people don't know anything about. in a nutshell, explain what we are learning about what went on and how many people did it involve? tt’s learning about what went on and how many people did it involve? tt’s a many people did it involve? it's a very striking _ many people did it involve? it's a very striking pair _ many people did it involve? it's a very striking pair indeed. - many people did it involve? tt�*s 2; very striking pair indeed. we mean that people came from the neolithic farming 6000 years ago and we knew it was another surge of people who came in. if not a new thing and then they discovered the dna which is the future of our past we can really read into places where we have no rating so we have to look at the archaeology and we find there is this third migration in the bronze age time where people have come from farms into canned and then spread across england and wales especially and they seem to have brought what might be our celtic roots with us and we are a wondrously mixed up country with all sorts of dna in this age when they are looking at the dna is when farming and the house that fed into a neat and was preserved and those wooden wheels, this is the era we are talking about. 3000 years ago. we can look at the dna delaet that 800 individuals to see their dna and be found across britain and western and central europe there was this migration into britain and they may have, we cannot tell from dna what language they spoke but they may have brought a former celtic language with them and it looks like there was already a form of celtic language in the north and in ireland dissidents prompting to get answers and refined my questions to ask and look at the island more closely and friends a bit more closely and it's another piece in thatjigsaw. he had this hugejigsaw another piece in thatjigsaw. he had this huge jigsaw puzzle of our prehistoric past and this piece of dna gives us a part of that group. it is extraordinary what can be learned now from dna because i was looking to all the stops and all this research and information and one of the things that comes out is that people are lactose intolerant and it's astonishing that you can find that out. tt and it's astonishing that you can find that out.— find that out. it is astonishing. i've aot find that out. it is astonishing. i've got that — find that out. it is astonishing. i've got that myself. _ find that out. it is astonishing. i've got that myself. you'd - find that out. it is astonishing. l i've got that myself. you'd never guess looking at them what you can tell and yes a few hundred years after this migration in the iron age we discovered that there is a sudden vast uptake of lactose intolerance. no one could drink raw milk before in the air hundreds of years before the date in europe and its not a physical achievement it's usually a slow evolutionary thing and yet they spread incredibly quickly. you have to ask yourself why suddenly does the population have this massive ability to drink milk when he did not have it before. it kind of him stanza problem and drinking milk easier cream nick clegg you can drink and if you could not drink that then it may be effectively are looking at some kind of disaster or disease, we don't know. and people who are lactose intolerant now and do well. it's brilliant. that; a do well. it's brilliant. as a striking image. _ do well. it's brilliant. as a striking image. thank - do well. it's brilliant. as a striking image. thank you j do well. it's brilliant. as a - striking image. thank you very do well. it's brilliant. as a striking image. thank you very much. it was christmas eve last year that britain and the eu finally managed to agree the trade and cooperation agreement that now governs most trade between us in the brexit era. now, a year on, our economics editor faisal islam has been to speak to a number of business owners to get a picture. a battle of wills, at times during the first year of the post—brexit trade deal it felt like the uk and the eu have not stopped the fight. exporters such as this judo equipment and video producer in bristol who feel like they are the ones left on the floor. rubbish. it is bad on every level and i would like someone to save me some kind of upside but there is not one. overall, uk exports to the eu are down 12% in the first ten months of the year on pre—pandemic levels in 2019. uk imports from the eu are down further. 20% that year and some of both of these numbers is down to the pandemic as well in addition, eu figures show tariffs have been applied over £10 billion of british export to the eu over the past year. this means for some exporters the deal has not been zero tariffs. it's not true. for us. that's right. why would it cost you 178 euros to accept delivery in italy? the ministers would say that it comes from this warehouse it was ultimately manufactured elsewhere it does not count. some places seem to be more difficult to get things sent to than others. these came back last week. this created risks visible here. boxes and exports being returned at business expense cost in time and effort. other exporters who we spoke to in january for example have been struggling to cope with dozens of pages of red tape and now say they found a way through. things have massively improved. on the whole much happier than we were. to say that things are perfect i don't think they'll ever be and making potentially something we have got to live with. some sharp export falls this year such as the car industry can almost entirely be attributed to global pandemic factors rather than brexit and the signing of the trade dear help confirm nissan commitment to sunderland unleashing new investments in electric vehicles. although the first year of global britton trading outside of the european union has avoided some of the dramatic worst—case scenarios that has been a clear hit in the trade figures that goes beyond what you'd expect from the pandemic. and the individual sectors such as the export of clothing and the export of food and animal products they have gone well beyond teething problems and for the government may have played this down but privately they say british exporters got to get used to a new reality that there is a customs border with the eu. in birmingham, exactly the sort of british manufacturers the government wants to encourage. eskimo is developing green radiators for heating your home, almost everywhere exports are booming. the trade with europe dropped off a cliff. if it is epidemic effect why does it only apply to europe? if we want to operate in that market and we are going to have to open up somewhere on the continent and you had the same trading arrangement as last year? absolutely. that could have happened in birmingham. that would have happened in birmingham. after a year, particularly for small business expo to europe global britton remains a work in progress. half a million fake delivery texts are expected to be sent by fraudsters in the uk this week. the public�*s being advised to take extra care when clicking on links and inputting information — in what's predicted to be the busiest ever week for anti—fraud agencies. last christmas saw a record number of parcel delivery scams being reported, and this year has already seen ten times that amount. our consumer affairs correspondent, colletta smith, has the story. tis the season for gifts, last—minute purchases and late deliveries. morecambe and wise, october 1970. and what would become a familiar setting for many classic sketches, eric and ernie at home in pyjamas. and the name on the card is mr eric morcambe. hello! muk. mr. unlike so many of their shows, this hasn't been repeatedly re shown. it was thought to have been lost. that is until eric's son, gary, paid a visit to his mother's attic. i was rummaging around mainly looking for paperwork. i was looking actually for old scripts because some of them had gone missing. and then i came across all these cylinders and i thought very little of them, actually, except that they were big and old and were worth bringing down. he had no idea what was in the canisters until he got a call from someone who finally watched the footage and told him. i think it be very surprised to learn you've just found the missing show. and i really was staggered. would you like me to hit you over the head with an umbrella? if you insist. i didn't realise at that pointjust how far the bbc would go to present it, that it would then get colour rise to, for instance, which is fantastic, so it's been brought bang up—to—date. find bobbin can we get rid of it, quick. and what's also really good is the quality. the quality of the show itself. you can see the embryonic morecambe and wise come through and that's fantastic. so now restored and coloured, a chance to see a bit of comedy history that has until now been lost in the family attic. mrmoore,! mr morecambe! that's me. sale for £85, do you have any idea whose voice it is? its new! david sillito, bbc news. he will have to rely on them to bring the sunshine this christmas. they will be a lot of crowd around. we could make up the smell of it the next couple of days. for most of us the talking point could be how mild it is particularly across england and lives into double figures and it's not the way missy had seen over the christmas period. these are the christmas day records across the country that we sent over the years. the mild weather is responsible babies let the sublist struggling to displace the cold air of product tonight as the rain places and we can see some snow for a time and fog will be a problem across england and wales as well. it will be slow to live for something that it will be a mild stage of a christmas eve across england and wales. early morning mist and hopefully a closed aberdeen we will get some suntan into the afternoon. later on in the day of the console placed england and wales it was see some wet and windy weather arriving. so we keep that cold air up into the north further south. that's christmas eve. as they move out of christmas eve. as they move out of christmas eve. as they move out of christmas eve to its christmas day the weather front still making progress across night in england into the scottish parties still bumping in to that cold air that is sitting anchored to the northeast of scotland. we could have a few flurries of rain, sleet and snow to start off on christmas day and that easily quickly with a lot of crowd for most of us on christmas day with the exception of scotland and some wet and windy weather pushing into the night and wales in southwest england by the end of the afternoon. that divide in temperatures double digits down to the south and cooler in the north. still some rain unfortunately on boxing day but mild for most. at 6pm — far fewer people are ending up in hospital at 6pm, the first government data on the impact of omicron shows you are far less likely to end up in hospital. the preliminary research suggests that someone infected with omicron rather than delta variant is between 50 and 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital. but intensive care units are dealing with unvaccinated patients — in a dozen hospitals in england, two thirds haven't had a covid jab. it's very sad when people come into hospital who haven't been vaccinated. they're very unwell, and they ask to have the vaccine then, which of course they can't, because you have to get better from covid before you can be vaccinated. almost 120,000 new covid cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours. also tonight — household energy prices could rise by up to 50% by next spring —