england and manchester city footballer raheem sterling says society must never let its guard down over racism in the game. and it is a christmas tradition but many pantos and theatres have had to close their doors due to the pandemic but not this one in bromley. the scottish parliament will be recalled this afternoon as first minister nicola sturgeon delivers an update on rising coronavirus infections, as cases continue to spike across the uk, europe and in the us. in scotland, the festive period has seen daily cases rise to record levels. in response to the surge in cases, the scottish government has already introduced new measures, including one—metre physical distancing at large events, with limited numbers. nicola sturgeon will address a virtual session of the scottish parliament later today. meanwhile, pressure is mounting on health authorities in the uk to look again at how long people should isolate after a covid infection. it follows the isolation period for those testing positive in the us being reduced from ten days to just five. back in the uk, pharmacies are warning that people are turning up to request lateral flow tests roughly every five minutes and often aren't able to get one due to low supplies. the uk health security agency has said it's doubled the number of lateral flow tests available. the us and france have reported their highest daily rises in new covid cases since the pandemic began, as the omicron variant continues to spread. the us reported more than 440,000 new infections on monday. france reported europe's highest ever number of new daily cases, with 179,807 infections reported on tuesday. we'll bring you more on that later, but first, a report from james reynolds as the scottish parliament is recalled this afternoon. this month in scotland, there have been long queues for booster shots. but the newlyjabbed won't all be able to get together for a post—booster celebration. restrictions on large gatherings are now back in place. we need to do it, but to shut everything down at once is a wee bit hard, as well. we can go out, but not to nightclubs. i feel like now that we've got all of our vaccines, _ there is not actually. another step forward. that's all we can do. across scotland, it is table service only in pubs and bars, and no more than three households in every group. the new set of rules that have come in have just pushed everything a further step backwards. there is so much uncertainty going on. people don't know if they have jobs to come back to, or when we are going to get back to any normality. if these restrictions are to stay in scotland, someone is going to have to find furlough, because that is going to be the only way to protectjobs. we are all going to have desperately uncomfortable conversations if there is not a way of plugging the wage bill gap. wales has also imposed restrictions of its own. events are limited to 30 people indoors, or 50 outdoors, and nightclubs have closed. in northern ireland, pubs, cafes and restaurants are providing table service only and no more than six people from different households will be allowed to sit together. by contrast, england has not imposed restrictions. the health secretary said people should be cautious and, if possible, celebrate new year's eve in the open air. earlier this month, the prime minister promised that every adult in england would have the chance to get their booster shot before the new year. the nhs is now messaging hundreds of thousands more people this week, urging them to get their shot and enjoy what officials call a "jabby" new year. james reynolds, bbc news. scotland's deputy first minister, john swinney was asked whether the scottish government would consider following other nations and reduce its ten—day covid isolation period. we've got to be really careful here because the fundamental point that we have got to address is the need to suppress the circulation of the virus. and we've got to take care that any steps that we make in this respect are consistent with that objective, so we have taken the clinical advice available to us that the appropriate period of isolation is ten days because that provides as much insulation as possible for us to be able to suppress the circulation of the virus. we will obviously look at the data that is emerging from other jurisdictions about other timescales that have been put in place, but i think, fundamentally, the issue has to be about do we have the right time constraints in place to suppress the circulation of the virus? and that should be the judgment that we found our decisions upon to make sure that we are actually doing everything that we can to interrupt the circulation of the virus and to protect public health. let's talk to our political correspondent peter saull. we've got another example where england and scotland have been out of step with each other in terms of covid restrictions. fine of step with each other in terms of covid restrictions.— covid restrictions. one of the tabloid newspapers - covid restrictions. one of the tabloid newspapers has - covid restrictions. one of the tabloid newspapers has the l covid restrictions. one of the - tabloid newspapers has the headline ravehearts, talking about marauding scottish people coming over the border on new year to celebrate. the government has said there will be no new restrictions in england before new restrictions in england before new year. isolation has been cut down from ten days to seven days. in the united states it is now five days and some conservative supporting newspapers have picked up on scientists and business groups saying that now should be the time to cut the isolation period to five days because of the emerging evidence we have on 0micron that it spreads quickly but doesn't necessarily cause the same fallout. if the strategies are about not overwhelming the nhs perhaps the government should be looking at that strategy next and that was put to one government minister, chloe smith, this morning. i do understand the argument but, as i say, we believe it's the right thing to do at present to stick with the self isolation period as it currently is, so that is seven days. and, as i say, we've only just made the change to bring it down from ten, so we want to make sure that is working as we would expect it to be. the key point, i think, to really stress here is to encourage everybody to get their boosterjabs. that is the main widespread way that we are going to be able to all get through this. as i understand it, over 32.5 million people are now boosted, which is great progress. so more of that will help us see our way through all of these types of problems. 0ne one of the things with this amount of testing is the shortage of lateral flow tests that some people have experienced. are we seeing any resolution? �* ., , ., resolution? again the message we are caettin from resolution? again the message we are getting from the _ resolution? again the message we are getting from the government - resolution? again the message we are getting from the government is - resolution? again the message we are getting from the government is to - getting from the government is to exercise caution, take a lateral flow test if you want to go to a new year's eve party. that is all good if you can get a taste, there are clearly some issues with supply of the tests. 0ne chemist described the picture as patchy, every five minutes it said people are being turned away without being able to get a lateral flow test. the government says it has improved things down the supply chain and the number of deliveries have been doubled but clearly this is another issue we are going to keep talking about because of the case numbers continue to go up. we about because of the case numbers continue to go up.— about because of the case numbers continue to go up. we will have more on that in a — continue to go up. we will have more on that in a moment. _ france has reported europe's highest ever number of new daily covid cases, as the 0micron variant continues to spread rapidly. nearly 180,000 infections were reported on tuesday, and france's health minister has warned there could be 250,000 daily cases by the start of january. italy, greece and portugal also reported record rises, as well as the us which had more than 440,000 new infections on monday. millions of families in the uk are facing a "cost of living catastrophe" according to a leading think tank. the resolution foundation says stalling wages, rising taxes and soaring energy bills means, from april, households face an increase in their living costs of nearly £1,200. the government says it's provided more than £4 billion worth of support for families. the chief executive of the resolution foundation think tank is torsten bell. the cost of living does rise and has risen before about how much worse as it now than previous rises?— it now than previous rises? everyone is already feeling _ it now than previous rises? everyone is already feeling in _ it now than previous rises? everyone is already feeling in their _ it now than previous rises? everyone is already feeling in their pockets - is already feeling in their pockets the cost of prices rising more quickly than wages. we have the highest inflation in ten years back in november with 5% of predicted to get over 6% by april. we have seen price rises before but this will feel different particularly because a lot will come in one go in april next year as we see a large rise in energy bills and tax rises at the same time. it energy bills and tax rises at the same time-— energy bills and tax rises at the same time. ., , , ., , .., , same time. it does seem that because it has been a — same time. it does seem that because it has been a relatively _ same time. it does seem that because it has been a relatively mild _ it has been a relatively mild winter, the effect of the rising energy costs hasn't quite bitten yet so there is potentially worse to come. i so there is potentially worse to come. ., �* ~ .,, so there is potentially worse to come. ., �* ~ , ., come. i don't think it has been that eas for come. i don't think it has been that easy for lots _ come. i don't think it has been that easy for lots of _ come. i don't think it has been that easy for lots of people, _ come. i don't think it has been that easy for lots of people, yes, - easy for lots of people, yes, slightly milder than most winters but people will have seen bills going up quite quickly over the past few months. but what is to come is much worse, we are talking about a very large rise, may be a 50% rise in energy bills, and unlike previous phases where we have seen big rises in energy prices, like the beginning of the last decade, around 2011-2013, that of the last decade, around 2011—2013, that happened more slowly. because people were on fixed—rate tariffs or we didn't have the energy price cap, we didn't see big overnight price rises affecting millions of households all at once but we are going to see that in april because we are in a different situation. in april because we are in a different situation. , ., ., ., , situation. in terms of how many eo - le situation. in terms of how many peeple this _ situation. in terms of how many people this could _ situation. in terms of how many people this could affect - people this could affect potentially, and potentially drive into poverty, do you have any figures for that sort of rate? this will be affecting _ figures for that sort of rate? ti 3 will be affecting the whole population. everybody needs to heat their homes and most people pay national insurance, which is the main tax going up in april. i think we should think about this being pretty broad—based but digging underneath we can see energy price rises will be particularly severe for the poorest tenth of households which spend around 8.5% of overall spending on energy and that will likely rise to 12% which is three times the rate for the richest households. it is a lot of money going on energy which is one of the main essentials, and you can't cut back energy that much, when you need to heat a home at all, and you end “p to heat a home at all, and you end up in difficult situations where you have to make choices about whether to heat your home. although the squeeze will affect all households, the squeeze on the poorest households will be the hardest. the government says it is providing £4 billion of support for families. the ulobal rise billion of support for families. the global rise in _ billion of support for families. tue: global rise in energy billion of support for families. tte: global rise in energy prices billion of support for families. tt2 global rise in energy prices clearly isn't something the government can directly control or stop. these shouldn't feel like it is their fault it is happening but it is their responsibility to do something about it. they did put in a significant increase to funding in universal credit in autumn which will help working households on universal credit but most households on universal credit, three quarters of them, will lose more from the cut of them, will lose more from the cut of £20 a week than they will gain from the money the government put in. forthe from the money the government put in. for the poorest households on universal credit this will be a tough few months. a merseyside police officer has been sacked for gross misconduct after it emerged he'd shared racist and homophobic pictures. the guardian, which broke the story, also reports that he took selfies at a murder scene. an anti—corruption inquiry into the behaviour of ryan connolly uncovered several years of misdemeanours. merseyside police said connolly's behaviour was "deplorable" and his dismissal sent a "clear message" that any abuse of office would not be tolerated. the hong kong pro—democracy media outlet stand news has said it's shutting down, after hundreds of national security police raided its office on wednesday. seven former and current employees were arrested for publishing what police described as "seditious publications". stand news is the most prominent remaining pro—democracy publication in hong kong after the closure of the jailed tycoon jimmy lai's iconic apple daily tabloid earlier this year. the raid further raises concerns about media freedom in hong kong. sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, here's jon watson. good morning. liverpool slipped up in the premier league title race last night, losing at leicester to stay six points behind manchester city — and that could be nine, if city win at brentford later. mo salah, top scorer in the league, missed a penalty — and then the follow up — that would've given liverpool the lead. and leicester substitute ademola lookman scored what proved to be the winner. so often these boys gave me an opportunity to stand here and say, wow, what a game! but it went the other way, so how did that happen? and so i will watch it back and hopefully will understand it slightly better. but it didn't look good. it didn't look good. it didn't look like us and that is obviously the main thing we have to think about and change immediately. and the england and manchester city footballer raheem sterling has said society must never let its guard down over racism in the game. sterling, who's guest editing radio 4's today programme, said the country tended to address racist abuse when it happened, but then "brushed it under the carpet". he's also been speaking to the england manager gareth southgate about how they dealt with the abuse suffered by some england players had after they lost the final of the euros. adam wild reports. the summer of sterling continues! they remain some of the defining sporting images of 2021. a cross for sterling! the route to the finals of the euros provoked in english football fans emotions scarcely stirred in a generation. but after such highs, some of the most crushing lows sport could offer. the racist abuse of england players, particularly on social media, prompted a wave of outrage, national soul—searching and calls again for action. people are probably intoxicated a lot of the times, say and do things, just trying to be horrible, because you want to get a reaction out of that person, or you want to get a reaction because you're angry. but at the same time, you know, you being frustrated that shouldn't resort to, you know, negative comments on someone's skin colour. i think what hurt me was that this was a group of players who had brought everybody together for 30 days, or whatever it was, on a brilliant journey. now all of a sudden we're going to allow this division to happen. i wasn't happy about that at all. the racism suffered by gareth southgate's england side was as ugly as it was depressingly familiar. earlier racist incidents, like the one in bulgaria during qualifying, helped to form the decision for players to take the knee before games. a lot of the times when, you know, the racism comes up, or something's happened, we tend to address it for that period, that five days, or that week. and then, we normally brush it up under the carpet, and things are all fine now. and when the next scenario happens, that's when we go again. 0n the whole, we just wanted to keep highlighting that. yes, there's been times that we've sat down and say, "is the message still powerful?" and we've said yes. as a group and as a collective, we try to keep that going. the tournament that began with players taking the knee, ending in vile racist abuse aimed towards them. but even then room for hope. although there was a horrible reaction that night from too many people, but still a minority, i thought there was a brilliant counter reaction, where the majority of the fans and public were saying, "we're not having this. "we're with bukaya and marcus and jadon. "so, everybody else can go and do their thing, really." it's sad we have to live through that, you know, to make it feel that way. as southgate and sterling continue to help redefine what is possible for the england national team, it's clear that for them, those aspirations now extend beyond just success on the pitch. adam wyld, bbc news. that's all the sport for now. you might, like me, remember having lessons at school on the dangers of drug and alcohol addiction — it's been taught for many years, but now increasing numbers of pupils are also learning about the dangers of compulsive gambling. a group of families who lost relatives to suicide have created a hard—hitting education programme, which they say will save lives. just a warning, you may find some of this report from our ireland correspondent chris page upsetting. it's notjust the damage that this does to the person who has the addiction, it's the damage it does to all the family. anniversaries, birthdays, christmas, family gatherings. when he should be there, he is not. lewis keogh was a passionate sportsperson, but he kept his gambling a secret from his team—mates, friends and family. when he was 34, he took his own life. he says, every day is a struggle. all i want is a bit of peace. please understand addiction is cruel." and that's his exact words. deep down, when he left that note for us, it really was a cry for help for others. the fact that he couldn't get this illness of his highlighted. that thought has driven pete and sadie and other bereaved families to design a ground—breaking education programme. you're going to love this place, man. - it's easy money. the charity gambling with lives plans to take the project to schools across the uk after it is piloted in northern ireland. it is an addiction that impacts a lot of people. the sessions have made a strong impression on these pupils in east belfast. i wasn't really sure about gambling and how addictive it could be, but now i understand it is a really bad problem. it helps maybe in the future, if someone is going through it, and you can help them. it is on your phones, on sports, everywhere you look. _ gambling is there. and their teacher thinks the topic should be a bigger part of the curriculum. it is something they were aware of as such, but not to the extent of the harm it can cause. addiction has always been covered within the pastoral curriculum, but a gambling addiction is definitely going to have to be more at the forefront. it is estimated that around 340,000 adults in great britain have a harmful gambling habit. so too do about 55,000 young people aged 16 and under. here in northern ireland, more than one in 50 adults have a gambling problem. that is four times the rate in the rest of the uk. the industry group the betting and gaming council says it has brought in measures to tackle addiction and protect children. families who have suffered the most believe their work in schools will prevent suicides. we didn't know about this. and we are going to make sure everybody does. had lewis had the education at school, i think there is a strong chance we would still have lewis with us. i am very hopeful we are going to provide something that will save lives, it is as simple as that. james grimes had a 12—year gambling addiction and is now head of education at the charity gambling with lives. how has your personal experience shaped your views on what needs to be done to tackle the gambling addiction issue? t be done to tackle the gambling addiction issue?— addiction issue? i had a 12 year addiction issue? i had a 12 year addiction which _ addiction issue? i had a 12 year addiction which destroyed - addiction issue? i had a 12 year| addiction which destroyed every addiction issue? i had a 12 year - addiction which destroyed every area of my life. listening to pete and cd talking in that piece, and i speak to bereaved families every day, and that could have so easily been my mum. gambling addiction takes you to that place. although i can't imagine what other families are going through, i can remember what it was like for lewis to go through. i didn't get any information. i was bombarded with advertising, in a society where gambling is completely normalise, we have addictive products in our pockets that sultry every time you watch tv, go on social media, watch sport —— which assault every time. i needed to hear these messages, nobody warned me. i knew about drugs, alcohol, sexual predators, i didn't know there was a predators, i didn't know there was a predator in my pocket and on the high street selling addictive products. high street selling addictive roducts. , , high street selling addictive roducts. , . products. does this affect increasingly _ products. does this affect increasingly younger - products. does this affect increasingly younger age | products. does this affect - increasingly younger age groups? products. does this affect _ increasingly younger age groups? our children more exposed to this than they were years ago?— children more exposed to this than they were years ago? 55,000 children addicted to gambling _ they were years ago? 55,000 children addicted to gambling in _ they were years ago? 55,000 children addicted to gambling in this _ addicted to gambling in this country, which is staggering and i dread to think of the long—term consequences. the gambling industry makes products and it has practices which are appealing to young people. gambling companies associate themselves with sport, especially sport, watched by millions of young people, and it is completely normalised and glamorised, similar to what happened with tobacco, and what that did was it downplayed the risk of smoking to a generation of young people and i think exactly the same thing is happening now. people take up gambling now without any understanding of the risks involved. that is why it's important that education is out there to raise awareness of the risks and the harms, but it must go alongside much stronger regulation to make the environment, products and practices much safer. the environment, products and practices much safer-— much safer. the statistic you mentioned — much safer. the statistic you mentioned is _ much safer. the statistic you mentioned is shocking, - much safer. the statistic you i mentioned is shocking, 55,000 children addicted to gambling. how young are we talking and what does their addiction look like? 11216 their addiction look like? 11-16 -year-olds- — their addiction look like? 11-16 -year-olds. it _ their addiction look like? 11-16 -year-olds. it can _ their addiction look like? 11-16 -year-olds. it can be - their addiction look like? 11-16 -year-olds. it can be a - their addiction look like? 11-16 -year-olds. it can be a rangel their addiction look like? this —year—olds. it can be a range of things from sports betting, scratchcards, betting with friends, playing cards, all these things, and it is notjust about playing cards, all these things, and it is not just about young playing cards, all these things, and it is notjust about young people as well. as soon as they are 18, which happened with me, i started gambling at 16, and when i had access to online gambling and was doing it legally, it was a disaster, a catastrophe, because i had access to this thing when my brain wasn't fully developed, playing products on the high street that, you know, are too dangerous to be £100 per spin which is what they were when i was gambling. i didn't need that at 18, 19, 20. the brain doesn't fully develop till 25. for the gambling industry to make products appealing to young people is particularly dangerous. to young people is particularly dangemus-— to young people is particularly dancerous. ., ., , ., dangerous. thank you for sharing our dangerous. thank you for sharing your thoughts _ dangerous. thank you for sharing your thoughts on _ dangerous. thank you for sharing your thoughts on that. _ record amounts of snow has fallen in western and northern japan, blocking roads and railways and disrupting flights. thousands of homes are without power and the situation may get worse before it gets better as more snowfall is forecast along the japan sea coast ahead of the new year. december can only mean one thing for theatres — christmas productions and, of course, panto. but after concern about cancellations, and isolating casts, have panto producers managed to put covid worries behind them? 0ur reporter matt graveling is at a theatre in bromley for us this morning. this time last year, of course, there was nobody here. there will be later today because here in bromley at the churchill theatre they have been able to put on their production this year but they are one of the lucky ones because around the country, leeds, edinburgh, newcastle, lots of pantomimes, a christmas tradition, have had to be cancelled because the cast and people behind the scenes have tested positive for coronavirus. let's look at the set here in bromley. they are putting on sleeping beauty. you might be able to guess that by the fact there is a young lady asleep here. this is the best we could do for a magic wand at this time in the morning. let's see if it works. abracadabra. good morning, you are playing sleeping beauty, yourfirst pantomime in a pandemic, what sort of measures have you been taking to enable you to continue the show? aha, enable you to continue the show? strict regime at home but testing every before coming into the theatre to keep everyone safe. henge every before coming into the theatre to keep everyone safe.— every before coming into the theatre to keep everyone safe. have you been able to enjoy — to keep everyone safe. have you been able to enjoy it — to keep everyone safe. have you been able to enjoy it despite _ to keep everyone safe. have you been able to enjoy it despite all— to keep everyone safe. have you been able to enjoy it despite all of- to keep everyone safe. have you been able to enjoy it despite all of the - able to enjoy it despite all of the restrictions? at}?! able to enjoy it despite all of the restrictions?— able to enjoy it despite all of the restrictions? . ., , ., restrictions? of course, the 'oy and festive cheer— restrictions? of course, the 'oy and festive cheer behind * restrictions? of course, the 'oy and festive cheer behind the _ restrictions? of course, the joy and festive cheer behind the scenes - restrictions? of course, the joy and j festive cheer behind the scenes has been amazing. sitting in the wings listening to the dame and models delivering their lines has been fantastic. we have missed out on festive christmas drinks but we want to keep the show alive. let’s festive christmas drinks but we want to keep the show alive.— to keep the show alive. let's meet our to keep the show alive. let's meet your other — to keep the show alive. let's meet your other half, _ to keep the show alive. let's meet your other half, i _ to keep the show alive. let's meet your other half, i guess, _ to keep the show alive. let's meet your other half, i guess, it's - to keep the show alive. let's meet your other half, i guess, it's fair i your other half, i guess, it's fair to say. this isn'tjust a christmas tradition, arts and culture bring in around £10.5 million —— billion per year. now, prince charming, how is it to have people back here at the theatre? �* ., , , . ., , ., theatre? amazing, especially for the kids who have _ theatre? amazing, especially for the kids who have missed _ theatre? amazing, especially for the kids who have missed it _ theatre? amazing, especially for the kids who have missed it so _ theatre? amazing, especially for the kids who have missed it so much - theatre? amazing, especially for the | kids who have missed it so much and looking out on seeing their faces light up again, being so happy, especially with mental health, they have missed so much it is great to have missed so much it is great to have them back. we have missed so much it is great to have them back.— have missed so much it is great to have them back. we are backstage here, and have them back. we are backstage here. and it _ have them back. we are backstage here. and it is _ have them back. we are backstage here, and it is not _ have them back. we are backstage here, and it is notjust _ have them back. we are backstage here, and it is notjust the - have them back. we are backstage here, and it is notjust the actors l here, and it is notjust the actors who make the show. you here, and it is notjust the actors who make the show.— here, and it is notjust the actors who make the show. you have a whole team of people. _ who make the show. you have a whole team of people, every _ who make the show. you have a whole team of people, every production - team of people, every production across the country, the wardrobe, the crew, producers who put the show on, hundreds ofjobs to put a show on. t7! on, hundreds of 'obs to put a show on. , ., ., “ on, hundreds of 'obs to put a show on. , ., ., 4' ., on, hundreds of 'obs to put a show on. i. ., ~ ., , , on. if you would like to see this production. _ on. if you would like to see this production. you _ on. if you would like to see this production, you can. _ on. if you would like to see this production, you can. they - on. if you would like to see this production, you can. they are l on. if you would like to see this | production, you can. they are on on. if you would like to see this - production, you can. they are on 1pm and 5pm today and of course what better way to ring in the new year with a production of sleeping beauty at a time when the industry could use your support more than ever. hello carroll, what is the weather like? temperatures are rising as the band of rain moves northwards and eastwards. behind it, we will see some brightness but there will be areas of cloud producing showers and the wind will strengthen. temperatures above average, the average at this time of year is six to 8 degrees north to south but it is 17 somewhere in the southeast this afternoon. the rain clears through this evening and we have two bands coming and across the north west and one across the south—west with a lot of