to pharmacies by tomorrow, after shortages following the self—isolation rule change. new rules for home and motor insurance come into effect injanuary — which could save customers more than £4 billion in the coming decade. the british socialite ghislaine maxwell, daughter of the late and disgraced media mogul robert maxwell, has been found guilty of having helped her lover, the financierjeffrey epstein sexually abuse teenage girls. the 60—year—old was found guilty on five of the six counts she faced — including the most serious charge, of sex trafficking a minor. it means maxwell could spend the rest of her life behind bars. her legal team say they are working on an appeal. 0ur north america correspondent aleem maqbool reports. court sketches show the moment ghislaine maxwell's victims have waited decades for. after five days of deliberation, jurors decided she was guilty on five counts linked to the sexual abuse of teenagers. and it was four of her victims who helped put her behind bars. the court heard how ghislaine maxwell gained their trust. during their emotional testimony, they told the jury how she instructed them to give the late jeffrey epstein massages that turned sexual. all but one testified anonymously, using a pseudonym or just their first name. jane said maxwell participated in her encounters with epstein. "i was terrified and felt gross and ashamed. "when you're14, you have no idea what's going on," she said. kate said, after meeting epstein, maxwell asked her if she had fun, saying she was such a good girl and one of his favourites. and annie farmer, the only victim who publicly identified herself, said ghislaine maxwell gave her an unsolicited massage. she said, "i so badly wanted to get off the table and have the massage be done." she's now said she's relieved at the verdict and that it shows even those with great power and privilege will be held accountable when they sexually abuse the young. defence lawyers attacked the accusers�* memories and motives, but that ultimately didn't help ghislaine maxwell. we firmly believe in ghislaine's innocence. obviously, we are very disappointed with the verdict. we have already started working on the appeal and we are confident that she will be vindicated. police raids of epstein�*s homes showed the duo's jet—setting luxurious lifestyle. in this photo, the pair are seen relaxing at the queen's balmoral residence when prince andrew reportedly invited the couple to the estate. the staggering wealth on display from their opulent properties only highlighted how they used their power together over the years to lure, intimidate and silence everyone around them. house rules, including this manual, told staff to be deaf, dumb and blind, forbidding them from making eye contact with epstein. one of my clients said to me she has been living in a metaphorical prison all of these years with the psychological fallout of the sexual abuse, the deep shame and embarrassment and trauma that she has experienced and now, ghislaine maxwell is going to experience a real prison where she will have a lot of time to think about the profound damage she has caused to so many girls and young women. ghislaine maxwell will be sentenced at a later date but it seems extremely likely she will spend the rest of her life behind bars, a final fall from grace for the british former socialite who a jury here has decided wasn't just a bystander to the crimes ofjeffrey epstein but was herself a predator and an active participant in the sexual abuse of teenagers. aleem maqbool, bbc news, in new york. in a statement posted to twitter early on thursday morning, maxwell's family said they were "very disappointed" with the verdict and had already begun the appeal process. 0ur correspondent nomia iqbal has also been following the trial for us in new york. after six days of deliberations the jury returned their verdict. we were in and out of the courthouse behind me where the trial took place and sawjust how engaged the jury was throughout, even before the verdict was released. they had asked the judge if they could re—examine some of the testimonies, in fact, they asked to look at the testimonies of all of the four women at the heart of the prosecution case again. at the start of the week they had asked for office supplies which was something they needed to try and arrive at their verdict. one of the concerns that the judge had in all of this is the rising cases of 0micron in the city, they have been skyrocketing and she was worried that the longer the deliberations went on for, the more chance there was of someone getting the virus and that would have of course hugely impacted the proceedings but she stressed to them to take their time, however long it took. they had gone home for christmas and returned and they were potentially facing working throughout the new year period and the weekend to arrive to their verdict. but this isn't over yet for ghislaine maxwell, she is facing another trial here in new york next year. this is a perjury trial, she is accused of lying under oath in a deposition relating to jeffrey epstein a few years ago and those are charges she also denies. 0ne ofjeffrey epstein�*s accusers, virginia giuffre released a statement in reaction to the verdicts. gloria allred is a lawyer representing some of jeffrey epstein�*s accusers. she praised the victims for their courage. yes, i represent 20 accusers ofjeffrey epstein and some of them have made allegations against ms maxwell as well, they made those allegations to law enforcement although they did not testify at this trial, it was only a very limited timeframe in which charges were filed in reference to ms maxwell at this trial. but it's been a long journey and as the us attorney said, and i even said it before he did, none of this could have happened without the courage of the victims because they testified very bravely, they were cross examined vigorously by the defence, their motives were questioned and theyjust held their heads up with dignity and answered all the questions and they made many sacrifices for the cause ofjustice and again, others who alleged they were victims also shared their information with law enforcement as my clients did. and as a result, ms maxwell was convicted and this does send a message to other sexual predators and those who would conspire to sex traffic underage girls to them that this will be taken very seriously, charges may be filed against you, you may be prosecuted, you may end up getting sent to prison for the rest of your life as may be the case with ms maxwell, so beware and do not conspire with or become a sexual predator yourself because underage girls are very vulnerable, they are easy to take advantage of and it's taken very seriously when they are preyed upon by adults who do know better. there were 33 fewer deaths with coronavirus in england and wales in the latest recorded week, according to the the office for national statistics. it's the lowest number of deaths since the middle of october. the number of deaths involving covid—i9 has now been falling since the mid—november. however the 0ns says the number of deaths in total in the uk was 14% above the five—year average. eight temporary covid hubs are to be set up at hospitals across england in preparation for a potential wave of 0micron admissions. nhs england says each site will have capacity for around 100 patients, and there are also plans to identify a further 4000 beds if needed. meanwhile, almost eight million test kits will be made available to pharmacies by tomorrow, amid warnings of patchy supplies following the changes to self—isolation rules. 0ur health editor hugh pym reports. at the height of the pandemic in the spring of 2020, a network of so—called nightingale hospitals were set up in england at conference centres and other sites to cope with an anticipated surge of covid patients. scotland, wales and northern ireland made similar arrangements. but they were not extensively used with major hospitals preferring to retain their staff to look after covid patients, rather than lend them to the nightingales. this time, temporary structures will be set up in the grounds of eight hospitals in england. the idea is it will be easier to deploy staff and provide access to diagnostics and emergency care. areas such as gyms and education centres could be converted or prefabricated units set up in car parks. they would accommodate patients close to being discharged and who would need minimal support, including those recovering from covid who are no longer infectious. the plan is to create 4,000 extra beds to add to the current total of about 100,000. the health secretary sajid javid said he hoped the surge hubs would not have to be used but it was right to prepare for all scenarios and increase capacity. nhs england said it wasn't yet known how many of those who caught the virus would need hospital treatment but with rising infections it wasn't possible to wait to find out. the nhs was now on a war footing. all this comes at a time when nhs trusts are under pressure because of sickness absence. some staff said they can't get pcr or lateral flow tests to get back to work and others have also reported shortages of testing capacity. health chiefs admit it's a problem but say they are addressing it. we do recognise there are some difficulties across the country, both in pharmacies and with home testing requests. we do release and are continuing to release test slots for individuals and so they should just keep trying through the day. obviously, as the christmas period subsides, then the testing capacity should be more available to them. we do have good supplies and we will be endeavouring to get those to the right places. the uk health security agency said almost 8 million lateral flow test kits would be supplied to pharmacies by new year's eve. people wanting pcr tests should keep checking the official website as more slots were being made available each day. hugh pym, bbc news. the immunologist professor peter 0penshaw told us the nightingale hubs showed �*admirable planning' as there is �*great concern�* about the possible impact of the rising numbers of covid cases. we don't know until 0micron has worked its way out of the younger population, and, of course, there are a lot of children and young adults being infected. it is now moving into older adults, some of whom still very sadly have not agreed to be vaccinated. and once it gets into that older adult population with other conditions that make them more likely to get severe disease and into those who have been unvaccinated, we will not really see the full severity of this illness and i think we must remember that we are so well off compared to most of the rest of the world for the majority of the population have not been vaccinated at all. so i think we need to be mindful of that. when we look at the statistics and compare where we were in february in terms of the number of cases and the number of deaths versus where we are now coming to the figures tell the story in terms of whether we are at the point where it is about to potentially become endemic in a way that does not need to because the levels of concerns it has? in february an average of 60,000 cases a day, 1200 deaths a day and now 130,000 cases a day, 74 deaths per day? i think it is clear the severity is reduced but i think we mustn't be lulled into a sense of false security here. this hasn't become a mild cold, it may be causing less severe disease, it may be changing its nature a bit but it's still much worse for example than influenza. if we take that over—60 age group, that had a mortality rate of about 14 times influenza, so if it comes down to say seven times that of influenza it's still an extremely nasty disease and we really still do not understand fully the long—term consequences of infection. i would absolutely urge everyone to get vaccinated and get themselves protected. that's obviously a point repeatedly made because when you look at what's going on in the hospitals, up to 90% of those most critically ill or the unvaccinated. at what point, i mean, how does that get dealt with longer term because can we go back to restrictions, for instance, would that be fair when so many people are vaccinated and for those who are vaccinated, it generally tends to be very mild cases? it does tend to be much milder amongst those vaccinated, absolutely right. it is one of the best protections we have and i think it is a scientific miracle we are where we are in terms of vaccinations. i thinkjust to reflect again on those who sadly died, i mean, recent us studies show 35 days between the onset of symptoms and death, typically. so the people who are sadly dying currently in hospital were infected before 0micron really struck. so we do have to wait and we have to wait for those deaths to be registered so there's a built—in time lag and unfortunately, we will not really know for some weeks yet what the impact of 0micron is going to be on severe disease. the latest headlines on bbc news. the british socialite ghislaine maxwell is found guilty on five counts of grooming and trafficking teenage girls for abuse by a jury in new york. around eight million covid test kits will be made available to pharmacies by tomorrow, after shortages following the self—isolation rule change new rules for home and motor insurance come into effect in january that could save customers more than £4 billion in the coming decade. sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, here's sarah mulkerrins. good morning. chelsea manager thomas tuchel says they would be stupid to think they can win the premier league title while they have so many players out injured or ill. they're eight points behind leaders manchester city, after a draw at brighton last night. romalu lukaku put them ahead in the first half. but in stoppage time, substitute danny welbeck found the equaliser. tuchel was exasperated, explaining that they'd had seven covid cases, and the players were bound to be tired. sure they are tired, if you have beenin sure they are tired, if you have been in bed for ten days and then you played a premier league match after that, you would look pretty tired after that. imilli after that, you would look pretty tired after that.— tired after that. will you be speaking — tired after that. will you be speaking to _ tired after that. will you be speaking to the _ tired after that. will you be speaking to the authorities | tired after that. will you be - speaking to the authorities about it again? _ speaking to the authorities about it a . ain? ., speaking to the authorities about it auain? ., ., in contrast, manchester city manager pep guardiola says the title race is farfrom over, despite that healthy lead at the top of the table. phil foden gave them a 1—nil win at brentford last night and guardiola was very happy with his side's performance. the way we played, the game we should play, that's why it was a perfect performance for us because i know how the other teams come here, they suffer, how many chances they create, so we did not concede once in the second half, and that is because the team played perfectly, the way we should play. there's just one game tonight, with manchester united hosting struggling burnley. united are unbeaten since interim boss ralf rangnick took over at the start of the month. but they've scored just once in each of their three league games against crystal palace, norwich, and newcastle on tuesday night. so is this a good time for sean dyche to be taking his side to old trafford? they have found ways of finding moments that counts, even if they may be are not purring, but we cannot be naive enough, and we would not be, to think there is to a perfect time to play them, you can only say that after the time. they had a quite small, partly it was that we had a better game, sometimes you need to against the superpowers. england's crickters will fly to sydney for the fourth ashes test without head coach chris silverwood. he's in isolation after one of his family tested positive for covid. they'll have to stay in melbourne for ten days. that's the seventh positive test in the touring party — three support staff and four family members have all contracted the virus. the match is due to start next wednesday. clearly, it is very disruptive for the players, who, as yet, none of them has tested positive, but they are being tested daily. we should not forget that the coach was in contact with some of them yesterday during net practice. so it will be an anxious wait for the next few days to see if any of the england players actually test positive for themselves. they fly to sydney on a charter plane tomorrow. as they are trying to keep them separate from everybody else, they and the australians are flying together. but there is no doubt it will be an anxious weekend ahead for the england players. match referee david boon has also tested positive, so he won't make it to sydney — that was confirmed just as a big bash league match in melbourne was called off following a covid case. covid news too from the pdc world darts championship at alexandra palace, as a third high—profile player has been forced to withdraw. dave chisnall has joined three—time winner michael van gerwen and vincent van der voort in pulling out after a positive test. we were treated to one of the matches of the tournament so far last night — michael smith beating jonny clayton, who took a two set lead before falling 3—2 behind, and needing a bull's—eye to level. and the deciding set went to a tie—break, smith eventually winning it at around 11 o'clock, to set up a meeting with the defending champion gerwyn price. that's all the sport for now. thank you very much. some breaking news, we arejust thank you very much. some breaking news, we are just hearing from the coroner who has been looking into the death of emad al swealmeen, who was killed outside liverpool women's hospital and remembrance sunday when his home—made bomb went off, the coroner has ruled that he died from the explosion and fire caused by the improvised device that he manufactured with murderous intent, the words, there, of the coroner. that detail just the words, there, of the coroner. that detailjust coming through, so a ruling that he died from the explosion and fire caused by the device he had manufactured. he was on the back of a taxi, the taxi driver managed to get out when he realised what was happening, and he, david perry, did not suffer life threatening injuries, he was ok, he was, emad al swealmeen, was locked in the taxi when the explosion went off. foreign office officials are seeking clarification from the french authorities on travel rules for british citizens with homes in the eu after passengers travelling on the eurotunnel shuttle services between britain and france, and on p and 0 ferries were told they were banned from travelling through france. most british tourists and business people are already banned from travelling to france because of britain's high covid infections. 0ur political correspondent peter saull is with me. this is a very confusing situation, isn't it? tell us what's happening. yes, that's right, the foreign office are seeking urgent clarification from the french authorities on what is happening. as things stand, unless you have a compelling reason to enter france, or if you are resident in the country, then you are not allowed into the country, but a compelling reason, according to the current rules, is travelling through france to get to another eu nation if that is your countryside distance, but eurotunnel put the statement up on their websites saying that following a french decision that unless they have french residency, british citizens are now considered third country citizens, and can no longer transit france by road to reach their country of residence, and we have already heard of examples of people being turned away by french customs agents, some have made it into france by using the eurostar rather than eurotunnel. the foreign office is making it clear that as far as it is concerned, the uk has some pretty binding agreements with the european union that allow brits that are resident in the eu, where the can go, its diplomatic relations had not been great, with rows of fishing and other things, it seems confusion is raising. the french foreign ministry has been contacted for comment, it's yet to hear back from them, but they have told the mail online that eurotunnel is wrong, and british citizens can travel to france, so really quite a confusing picture, and we, like the foreign office is trying to work out what the rules actually are. we will tell the viewers _ what the rules actually are. we will tell the viewers as _ what the rules actually are. we will tell the viewers as soon _ what the rules actually are. we will tell the viewers as soon as - what the rules actually are. we will tell the viewers as soon as we - what the rules actually are. we willj tell the viewers as soon as we have clarification, thank you. rules on insurance pricing are set to change in the new year. from january the first, insurers will be banned from quoting higher renewal prices for home and motor cover than they would for new customers. the financial conduct authority believes it'll save those staying loyal to companies around 4.2 billion pounds over 10 years. but it could mean people who regularly switch providers will pay more. nhs staff in hospitals in england say they're going hungry during their shifts because hot food is not available 24 hours a day. doctors and nurses working long hours, under difficult conditions, say they're often faced with empty vending machines, especially when on overnight shifts. last year, an independent review in to hospital food for patients and staff found that kitchen facilities needed to be upgraded. andrew plant has the details. in the past, it has often been food for patients causing hospital catering to make the headlines. but now it's pictures like these — posted on social media. nhs staff finding there is simply no food to be found beside a few lonely snacks and a vending machine. this doctor tweeting on a monday — "night four of four on icu and there's been no sandwiches since friday". working in the nhs, anyway, the hours are quite long and the conditions are quite stressful. the food provision in some places, in some hospitals, i'd say is nonexistent. so if you don't bring your own food to work, there is a good chance you could go hungry overnight. 0ften nhs staff are not getting the kind of nutrition they need when they are working those really punishing, long shifts. nhs workers have been spilling the beans online — one saying "no change in 50 years, night staff never get fed properly". another added, "it's shocking that health care workers are left with nutrition—less options." this podiatrist has started a campaign for better food for nhs workers. mental—health issues have gone up as a result. we are all very stressed. they are going through so much and they are sacrificing so much. and that shouldn't be the case and this is why i am doing this, because i care so much about them. in october last year, celebrity chef prue leith reviewed nhs food, recommending to the government that hospitals offer hot food around the clock for both patients and staff. if we have very good ward kitchens, or at least kitchens on every floor that can accommodate making an omelette, or heating up a ready meal, or making toast, those comforting things you need, and always with healthy food available, it should be possible. and there are hospitals that are doing it. although some hospitals do have access to overnight canteens, so far, many nhs workers have not seen much improve. the 24—hour hot—food campaign hopes to change that and persuade hospital trusts to offer healthy hot—food options to all of their staff, whatever shift they might be working. the james webb space telescope — which launched last week — is starting to unfold its sunshield in a complex process involving hundreds of moving parts. the world's most powerful telescope went into space on christmas day. it cost ten billion dollars and took ten years to build and prepare, and is currently a million miles from earth. let's get the latest weather now with matt taylor. hello. the only thing that is tempering the exceptionally mild conditions today is the breeze. quite blustery across some southern and western areas. there will be outbreaks of rain, heaviest in the afternoon in these areas. north of that, we will have some sunny spells and one or two showers. temperatures, a fair few degrees above normal. but to the south, even with some patchy drizzle and cloud, we could hit 16—17. and that very mild story continues tonight. some heavy showers working their way eastwards. a little bit cooler to the north of that, but another exceptionally mild night and exceptionally mild today, potentially a record—breaking day on new year's eve, one of the warmest warmest on record. to the south of this rain band tomorrow, some sunny spells, a bit more than we will see today. a bit cooler further north. but overall, into the midnight hour, it will be exceptionally mild. hello, this is bbc news. the british socialite ghislaine maxwell is found guilty by a jury in new york on five counts of grooming and trafficking teenage girls for abuse. maxwell procured the girls for the financier and convicted sex offenderjeffrey epstein — she faces the rest of her life behind bars. nhs england is to set up new nightingale hubs to combat a potential wave of covid admissions due to 0micron. an extra 4,000 emergency hospital beds are to be deployed. around eight million lateral flow covid test kits will be made available to pharmacies before new year's eve, following a supply shortage. new rules for home and motor insurance come into effect in january that could save customers more than £4 billion in the coming decade.