christmas message this year, her first since the death of her husband prince philip. hello and welcome. the uk has again recorded its highest number of daily coronavirus cases since the pandemic began — more than 120,000. it's the third day in a row that cases have topped 100,000 — with 122,186 recorded today a separate survey from the office of national statistics found that on december 19th, an estimated 1 in 35 people in the uk had coronavirus — that's1.74 million people. in london the ratio is much higher — one in 20 people were likely to have tested positive for covid, the highest proportion of any region or nation in england. let me show you quickly the stats for the other nations... in wales it's around one in 45 scotland's rate is one in 65 and in northern ireland it's one in a0. but despite soaring cases, early findings suggest that the 0micron variant is milder than delta, and leads to less hospitalisation — the head of the uk health security agency drjenny harries called it a "glimmer of christmas hope" elsewhere, thailand has reported its first 0micron cluster — 21 infections, an outbreak traced to a belgium couple who had travelled to the country earlier in the month. in europe, italy has reintroduced mandatory face coverings outdoors; and greece is ordering people to wear facemasks both indoors and outdoors. here's our health correspondent dominic hughes. that's it done. a christmas eve booster in basingstoke. here they are getting jabs in arms up until christmas. it was good, it made sense to do it, doing my bit for the community and everybody else. in england people will be able to get vaccinated throughout the festive break. 200,000 slots for first, second and boosterjabs are available, including on christmas day and boxing day. people are so keen to come in. there was a big rush at the beginning of the week, it slowed down a little bit but in fact people are really positive about having theirjabs. people in scotland, wales and northern ireland are being encouraged to get a jab to with vaccination centres closed over christmas until the 27th. even as the push on boosters continue, experts are mulling over the latest more hopeful research on the omicron variant, indicating it could be less severe than delta. potentially this is good news, if omicron really is less nasty, and it is certainly shaping up to look less nasty, that's fantastic, what better christmas present could we have? but at the moment the data is small, mainly across the younger population so we are holding our breath. it is a cautious welcome, still some big unknowns, particularly how older people might be affected. typically we are seeing omicron largely in young people and it's onlyjust now the cases are starting to tip into the older population, particularly in the 60 and 70 plus —year—olds. there are a number of different reasons why we need to continue to look at this data further. even if the virus causes less severe illness in most people, it is so contagious, hundreds of thousands are likely to catch it, including health service workers, raising concerns about a staffing crisis. some have already noticed shifts are getting busier. there is the increasing absence rates, the queueing at hospital, hearing our control staff call out for any ambulances available, and there just are not any left. that is taking a toll on front line staff. so the booster rolled out forjust on in all sorts of settings, here in an asian restaurant in bradford, an area where vaccine hesitancy has been higher than the rest of the country so they are trying to make the process as easy as possible. we are creating access where our communities are. a restaurant is the best place for this time of year, to come and bring the vaccines to make it as easy and as accessible as we can. the latest estimate by the office for national statistics is that by last sunday more than 1.7 million people in the uk were infected with the virus, around one in 35. it may be less severe than first feared, but the numbers catching the virus mean there will still be tough weeks ahead. dominic hughes, bbc news. as we were hearing earlier, the office of national statistics found that an estimated 1 in 35 people in the uk had coronavirus on a single day last week — our head of statistics robert cuffe explained what those huge figures actually mean. the 0ns figures tell a story, we have been kind of hearing the case for some days, but really help us to understand just how spreadable omicron is. you read the case number is there, they don't include the reinfection. the reason it is spreading so quickly is because it can evade some immunity that infection creates. so those case figures are probably a bit of an underestimate. the figures that came back from the 0ns earlier today said 1.7 million people in the uk are infected with coronavirus at the moment. a number that has gone up by about a quarter over three days shows you that no matter how you look at it, omicron is spreading very, very quickly. we see the pressure that will put on society, even if it doesn't cause any sickness at all. we heard yesterday that about one and a half percent of the nhs staff were off work due to coronavirus. that's gone up by about half in a week. so it's that kind of rate of growth and spread of omicron continues to go up, that is eventually going to put pressure on hospitals, schools and businesses as people have to isolate. it's also going to mean that the peak comes very quickly, isn't it? i mean, this is going to burn very fast indeed. yeah, i think a bit of a calculation, i have to admit, but the 0ns to give us a nice few days, we proceed closer to 200,000 every day, there are only so many dubliners there are only so many doublings you can go through before you are infecting the entire population of the uk every couple of hours, so eventually it does burn itself out, and that's why the models that look at where the peak might come in terms of a figure we really care about, people going into hospital people going into hospital who are sick, that's kind of peaking injanuary— february, probably different where it's time for it to do so. joining me now isjohn burn—murdoch, data journalist at the financial times. john, lovely to see you. what do you see in the hospitalisations at the moment? the figures i see, they are pretty steady, aren't they? i moment? the figures i see, they are pretty steady, aren't they?— pretty steady, aren't they? i think as with everything, _ pretty steady, aren't they? i think as with everything, you _ pretty steady, aren't they? i think as with everything, you have - pretty steady, aren't they? i think as with everything, you have got i pretty steady, aren't they? i thinkl as with everything, you have got to look at the set of regional level. when omicron is more advanced in london and other parts of the uk for the whole of the omicron wave. the numbers certainly aren't steady in london. 0ne numbers certainly aren't steady in london. one thing that we were hoping to see in the data that was released yesterday is that we would see a large portion of the recent increase among people for whom cove it was only an incidental finding and it was for another reason. it actually does look like there has been a substantial increase in the number of people and then london hospitals being treated for severe covidien in the last week or two. [30 covidien in the last week or two. do ou covidien in the last week or two. do you see you back to becoming an issue such that the hospitals cannot cope? as it rising at that sort of level? ,., . , cope? as it rising at that sort of level? ,., ., , ., �* cope? as it rising at that sort of level? ., , ., �* , level? personally, iwouldn't use those terms. _ level? personally, iwouldn't use those terms. if _ level? personally, iwouldn't use those terms. if we _ level? personally, iwouldn't use those terms. if we compare - level? personally, i wouldn't use. those terms. if we compare where level? personally, i wouldn't use - those terms. if we compare where we are right now to where we wear last winter, there are currently roughly 25% as many, so a quarter as many patients in hospital as being treated with severe covid as there were at the peak last winter. numbers are still rising, but i think based on all the data i've seen and indeed out modelling evidence i've seen him it would be unlikely to get close to last winter's p, but if we get half as high as that, that does mean there will be lots of life. pare high as that, that does mean there will be lots of life.— will be lots of life. are you in any wa of will be lots of life. are you in any way of tracking. _ will be lots of life. are you in any way of tracking, because - will be lots of life. are you in any way of tracking, because we - will be lots of life. are you in any| way of tracking, because we have heard that the london mayor talking about staff shortages and all the public services. is that going to become an issue as well as more people have to isolate that actually the biggest problem is not the numbers going into hospital but the numbers going into hospital but the numbers in hospital who are there to treat them. this numbers in hospital who are there to treat them. , , ., ., treat them. this is almost a movement _ treat them. this is almost a movement in _ treat them. this is almost a movement in that _ treat them. this is almost a movement in that sense, i treat them. this is almost a i movement in that sense, isn't treat them. this is almost a - movement in that sense, isn't it? we have the number of nhs staff in northern hospitals who are now absent because they have covid or a contact habit and they are isolating. that number has risen steeply in the last couple of weeks. we are going to see a patient numbers. those numbers will continue to go up at the same time the number of people available to care for them well perhaps come down slightly. fin well perhaps come down slightly. on a more positive note and taking what you said earlier, having to look at the centre regional science, the figures for london in the 0ns survey today, when in 20 people on december the 19th having at the 19th having at and presumably for days on, and it's even worse than that at the moment. does that mean that actually there will be a peak in london before the rest of the country and that will come reasonably quickly? i willjust say one thing, that figure of one and 20 was actually an average for that whole become if you look at the most recent data for the 19th itself it was one and ten, so omicron really has been incredibly widespread in london. you are right, what we have seen both in the uk data and what we have already seen in south africa is that because certain characteristics of omicron including the fact that it may have a shorter period of time over which someone becomes infectious, that may lead to a much faster and steeper peak, but a shorter wave overall and perhaps even a peak at lower levels than we might have feared. that's promising knees, as is as you have alluded to their is a smaller percentage on cases where we require hospitalisations as we are seeing with other variants. hat hospitalisations as we are seeing with other variants.— hospitalisations as we are seeing with other variants. not to put you at the step. _ with other variants. not to put you at the step. but — with other variants. not to put you at the stop, but you _ with other variants. not to put you at the stop, but you look - with other variants. not to put you at the stop, but you look back - with other variants. not to put you at the stop, but you look back at l at the stop, but you look back at last christmas and anything to take from that? does it spread slower at christmas because we are not in tubs to the same extent, we are in families and indoors, but not in such big numbers. and ijust wondered what happens over this 3—4 holiday period? 50 wondered what happens over this 3-4 holiday period?— holiday period? so it's interesting because it ends _ holiday period? so it's interesting because it ends up _ holiday period? so it's interesting because it ends up being - holiday period? so it's interesting because it ends up being a - holiday period? so it's interesting l because it ends up being a question of what data you are looking at. if you look at the case numbers, we are very likely to see a dip over the next couple of days. who wants to go and get a covid test on christmas day whether that's lateral flow or a pcr. testing does change very significantly as we look at the randomised survey last year, over christmas, there wasn't really any debt. there was essentially a steady and slight increase over that time period. generally at christmas, we are mixing smaller groups of families rather than very large events. i think that will be a slight help, but i would just say over the next week it is going to be particularly important that we take this case numbers with a sense of caution because of testing. finally on that issue _ caution because of testing. finally on that issue you _ caution because of testing. finally on that issue you cannot - caution because of testing. finally on that issue you cannot compare| on that issue you cannot compare light with light because we don't have a test available last year, not to the same extent as we do now. also, i suppose the issue is if we are going to be with all their people, we are more, we are going to test more readily because we know the risks. i certainly think it's been quite impressive to the risks. i certainly think it's been quite impressive- the risks. i certainly think it's been quite impressive to see how the british public— been quite impressive to see how the british public have _ been quite impressive to see how the british public have taken _ been quite impressive to see how the british public have taken this - been quite impressive to see how the british public have taken this on - british public have taken this on board recently, certainly every time i've been going out recently i'm taking tests before i go. there was a shortage of lateral flow recently, everyone is taking it seriously, and i think that can only help. indeed that switch and extra caution may be one of the contracting factors to have the gross of omicron seeming to slow as of late. have the gross of omicron seeming to slow as of late-— slow as of late. fascinating. john, thank ou slow as of late. fascinating. john, thank you very — slow as of late. fascinating. john, thank you very much _ slow as of late. fascinating. john, thank you very much for _ slow as of late. fascinating. john, thank you very much for your - thank you very much for your expertise. i really appreciate it. let's recap our top stories... new records for covid in the uk — the highest number of daily cases since the pandemic began and an estimated 1—point—7 million are reported to have had the virus on a single day last week. at least 39 people are killed after a packed ferry caught fire in southern bangladesh. the most powerful telescope to ever be launched into space is due to blast off on christmas day. at least 39 people have been killed after a packed ferry caught fire in southern bangladesh. at the time the ferry was near the town othalakati. it had sailed from the capital, dhaka, and was bound for the southern town of barguna, with hundreds of passengers on board. bbc�*s akbar hossein reports from dhaka. the fire is believed to have started in the engine room at around three o'clock in the morning, when most of the passengers were sleeping. it spread quickly as the ferry travelled along the sugandha river in the early hours of friday. the fire went on for hours before it was doused. as many as 500 people were reportedly on board. some of the victims drowned afterjumping into the water. translation: my father, | myself, my six-month-old nephew and my sister were travelling together. when the fire broke out, i gave the baby to a man, he was trying to save the baby, but now we can't find them. please, let us know if you learn their whereabouts. i was on the first floor of the ferry. suddenly, the rear side caught fire. the engine had problems earlier. the ferry's windows had curtains, and these curtains trapped the smoke, which killed most of the people. ferry accidents are not uncommon in bangladesh, with mishaps blamed on poor maintenance, lax safety standards and overcrowding. the accident was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the delta country — hundreds have drowned in the country's rivers in the past ten years — but the fire that engulfed this ferry adds a new layer of horror to the story. akbar hossein, bbc news, dhaka. the queen is expected to give a very personal christmas message tomorrow — her first since the death of her husband, prince philip. she will speak beside a framed photograph of the couple taken during their diamond wedding anniversary in 2007 — and will wear the same sapphire brooch that she wore on her honeymoon. 0ur royal correspondent nicholas witchell reports. for the queen, forced for a second year by covid to spend christmas at windsor rather than hosting herfamily at sandringham, this will be a moment to reflect on a year marked by sadness. her christmas broadcast, a still from which has been issued by buckingham palace, is expected to be a very personal one. prominently on the desk beside her, a photograph of her and prince philip taken in 2007 when they celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. philip's death last april, two months short of his 100th birthday and after 73 years of marriage, was the emotional low point of the year for the monarch. apart from a reference to him in her address to the cop 26 conference, the queen has not so far spoken publicly about how much he meant to her. her broadcast may be an opportunity for her to do so. within the royal family, mindful that this will be the queen's first christmas without her husband, arrangements have been changed so that she won't be alone. clarence house has confirmed that the prince of wales and the duchess of cornwall willjoin her at windsor on christmas day. other members of the family may also be there. but absent, of course, will be the duke and duchess of sussex. from their home in california, they've issued this photograph wishing their supporters happy holidays. it shows harry and meghan with their son archie and their daughter lilibet, pictured for the first time. and so, at the end of a year touched by personal sadness, and some family tensions, thoughts will start to look ahead to next year and the celebrations to mark the queen's 70 years on the throne. uppermost in the minds of the palace planners, of course, will be the question of the queen's health. it's always a sensitive matter. it has particular significance after the recent concerns, and given that next year is the year of her platinum jubilee. the queen will certainly want to be involved in thejubilee as fully as possible, and there will be another event of special significance to her — a service of thanksgiving for the life of the duke of edinburgh, which, it has been announced, will take place at westminster abbey in the spring. nicholas witchell, bbc news. christmas eve celebrations are under way in the west bank city of bethlehem, but the hoteliers who were hoping for an influx of tourists will be disappointed by the re—introduction of anti—covid measures. israel's borders have been closed to international travellers because of the pandemic and only a small number of people attended the procession, to the birthplace ofjesus. tom bateman sent this report. in manger square, they wait for the biggest night of the year — a christmas procession that will follow the route believed to have been taken by mary and joseph. it's a march of faith. but this season's greetings are mainly between the locals. the scout bands are a fixture of christmas in manger square and you can feel the energy. but what is missing are the international visitors and pilgrims that would usually be thronging the square here, and that is a devastating blow for the second year running because bethlehem needs tourism to keep surviving. the glimmers of tourism restarting last month have gone derailed by border closures due to the new covid variant. people trying to find joy and happiness from nothing. so it's very interesting, very impressive to see such a gathering. bethlehem is relying definitely on tourism. since the beginning of the year 2020, everything is closed, all hotels are empty. it's very, very difficult - for people, especially those who are working in tourism sector. they are selling somej of the land to houses. the characters of christmas come to life. in this factory, ibrahim is the only worker here today. normally, he'd be joined by four more. for palestinian christians in this part of the west bank, life's been a challenge, says nabeel, whose family has run this shop for decades. we could keep our workers till the moment, but i don't know. you know, it's hard. i have two shops, one is here, the one on the manger square. it's been like 2a months, zero income. it's sad, it's not normal to see bethlehem this way. but at christmas, there's always light to look up to. as this town celebrates, it remains a year of hope against the odds. tom bateman, bbc news, bethlehem. the final preparations are underway for the rescheduled launch of a space telescope that could transform our understanding of the universe. the rocket carrying the james webb space telescope will take off from french guiana on christmas day. it's the successor to the hubble space telescope — and it will give us a much deeper understanding of our universe and how it came about. 0ur science editor — rebecca morelle — reports. it's taken 30 years to develop, cost more than $10 billion and has involved thousands of scientists. now the james webb space telescope is finally ready to launch to begin the most ambitious astronomy mission ever attempted. this telescope is absolutely the biggest and most complex and most powerful telescope that we've ever attempted to send to space. all of us astronomers are extremely eager to get this telescope into space. but i think it's going to work and i think it's going to, again, just completely revolutionise how we understand the cosmos. the telescope is a successor to hubble, which has given us amazing images. butjames webb is much more powerful. its mirror is almost three times bigger, which means it can reveal parts of the cosmos we've never seen before. gazing up into the heavens can help us to answer some of the biggest questions like where we come from and how did we get here? this space telescope will help us to look further back in time than ever before to 13 and a half billion years ago, revealing the light from the very first stars to shine. we'll be able to see the earliest galaxy formation and whether they spiral into space like our own milky way, and other planetary systems will also come into view, allowing us to discover whether life could exist on other worlds. scientists will be able to study every phase of cosmic history. we think that the first stars might actually be really huge and they will be burning really hot and really brightly and would die very quickly, possibly with a huge explosion. but we haven't seen it yet and we really hope that this is something that we're going to find with the webb telescope. but before it can take any images, there's the most difficult task ahead. the telescope's so huge, to get it into a rocket, it's been folded up like origami. for it to unfurl in space, more than 100 release mechanisms need to fire at exactly the right time in the right order. if anything goes wrong, it's game over. we know there are many ways that it could fail. so that means to rehearse and rehearse and rehearse. we've unfolded it an folded it many times. we've examined it carefully. every time we say, well, that's not quite right, we'd better fix that. and it's extraordinarily challenging. the final preparations have been under way. it's an incredibly tight fit, as the rocket is tentatively lowered over the folded telescope. this is high stakes science, but if it works, it could lead to discoveries that scientists haven't even dreamt of. rebecca morrell, bbc news. if you are wondering who james webb is, he was the second administrator nasa in the late 1950s. very influential in the apollo space programme. two more universities in hong kong have removed memorials to... artworks at the chinese university of hong kong —— two more universities in hong kong have removed memorials to the victims of the tiananmen square massacre from their grounds. following the replacement of the pillar of shame on thursday, art works at the chinese university of hong kong and the lingnan university disappeared overnight. rail passengers in parts of the uk are facing major disruption, as some staff on trains run by cross country take strike action. cross country say routes are affected from northern scotland to south west england and are advising passengers to check theirjourneys before travelling. the luxury department store chain selfridges is being sold to a thai retailer and an austrian property firm. the deal for the majority of selfridges group is worth around four billion pounds. founded in 1908 by the us retail magnate harry gordon selfridge, the company is best known for its flagship department store on oxford street in london. president biden and the first lady have been marking the festive season with a christmas tradition. a short while ago, they paid a surprise visit to patients and families at the children's national hospital in washington. dr biden chose to read the book "0laf�*s night before christmas" starring the popular character from the film �*frozen.’ you all know that, because you will all have been watching it over the last few days. a rare "walking" handfish which is native only to australia has been spotted for the first time in 22 years off the tasmanian coast. scientists say the sighting of the endangered pink handfish was unexpected as it was thought to be a shallow water species. the pink handfish was last sighted by a diver off tasmania in 1999 and has only been seen four other times. night you know. stay with us. —— now you know. hello there went the latest from the bbc sport centre. another boxing day game off in the primarily but that pretence quite depleted because of covid and a number of injuries as well. due to travel to burnley on sunday, that's now been postponed. the everton manager expresses frustration yesterday that it hadn't already been called off with only nine fit outfield players at his disposal, the third for premier fixture to go on boxing day. 20 matches across the football league are also off. the centennial is say yesterday's paramedic meeting with the managers and captains of all 20 sides achieved nothing, like talking to a wall, he says, the virtual meeting was called with concerns about player welfare. the fixture pile up and rising covid cases. but conti was far from impressed. the? conti was far from impressed. they tried to speak— conti was far from impressed. they tried to speak and _ conti was far from impressed. they tried to speak and to _ conti was far from impressed. iie: tried to speak and to ask conti was far from impressed. tie tried to speak and to ask about conti was far from impressed. tie1 tried to speak and to ask about the solution, but, ithink tried to speak and to ask about the solution, but, i think that everything was decided and i think yesterday it was a wall. it everything was decided and i think yesterday it was a wall.— yesterday it was a wall. it was a waste of time. _ yesterday it was a wall. it was a waste of time. i _ yesterday it was a wall. it was a waste of time. i think _ yesterday it was a wall. it was a waste of time. i think so. - england captainjoe root is backing himslef to lead by example in the boxing day test in melbourne as they try and keep themselves alive in the ashes series. he was very critical of his players after heavy defeats in the first two tests left them needing to win all three remaining matches if they're to regain the urn. that's never been done before. nesta macgregor reports. we will know it is the season for giving so far england had overly generous. from giving up easy rickets to missed catches and ultimately missed opportunities... they got 2—0 in the ashes. for they got 2-0 in the ashes. for england. _ they got 2-0 in the ashes. for england. the _ they got 2-0 in the ashes. for england, the last _ they got 2—0 in the ashes. for england, the last time they were to have down and one in ashes test was actually, it's never been done. so a chance forjoe root's side to create history and restore pride. i chance forjoe root's side to create history and restore pride.- history and restore pride. i know what we need — history and restore pride. i know what we need to _ history and restore pride. i know what we need to do, _ history and restore pride. i know what we need to do, and - history and restore pride. i know what we need to do, and that's i history and restore pride. i know. what we need to do, and that's the art of trying to take down wickets, trying to build pressure, understand how you are going to create pressure keeping the scoreboard quiet but also being brave enough to hit the lengths that are going to take you wickets. in lengths that are going to take you wickets. ~ , ., , ., ., wickets. in melbourne is that a venue for— wickets. in melbourne is that a venue for the _ wickets. in melbourne is that a venue for the third _ wickets. in melbourne is that a venue for the third test, - wickets. in melbourne is that a venue for the third test, and i wickets. in melbourne is that a i venue for the third test, and good to have struggled to score runs are expected to make changes, zach crowley and johnny barry stowe replacing rory burns and allie pope. fast bowler mark wood who missed the second test should also feature. australia who have embarrassed the visitors so far say they are expecting a much improved england side, but know the odds of retaining the urn are in their favour. we side, but know the odds of retaining the urn are in their favour.— the urn are in their favour. we know how aood the urn are in their favour. we know how good they _ the urn are in their favour. we know how good they are, _ the urn are in their favour. we know how good they are, a _ the urn are in their favour. we know how good they are, a world-class i how good they are, a world—class team with world—class players, so, yeah, we played really well the last couple of matches but we should bounce back. so couple of matches but we should bounce back.— couple of matches but we should bounce back. , . , , ., bounce back. so the stage is set for a famous boxing _ bounce back. so the stage is set for a famous boxing day _ bounce back. so the stage is set for a famous boxing day fixture, - a famous boxing day fixture, post—christmas turkey, england hoping they don't get stuffed. nestor mcgregor, bbc news. some rugby union news, billy and mako vunipola have signed new deals to stay at saracens — and that means they're still available for england selection. the brothers were both being linked to clubs in france — a move abroad would have ended their international careers, with england's policy not to select anyone playing in foreign leagues 2022 could be very lucrative for golfers on the ladies european tour. a record prize fund will be on offer of over 20 million pounds. they've released their schedule with the greatest number of tournaments in its 44 year history. 31 across 21 countries. there'll be two new events in asia and south africa and 8 tournaments return to the calendar. the tour starts in mid february that's all the sport for now. you can find more on all those stories on the bbc sport website. keep across those football fixtures in case any more go on boxing day. now i'm bbc news, it's time for a look back in the year at sport. there's never been a sporting year quite like 2021. it would, though, take a little time for the volume to be turned up. like everything else, it had to wait. when the year began, the backing track was the sound of silence.