hello. within 3 weeks of scientists first detecting the delta variant it was present in 53 countries. omicron has already been identified in at least 15, so it is a fair bet than it is spreading further and wider than is currently known. the uk government, like others in the eu, has moved swifly, placing at least 10 african countries on the red list. it won t stop the spread but it might slow it long enough for the booster programme to offer more protection. most likely the vaccines will be less effective and will need revising but they will give us some degree of protection. so to that end. boosterjabs will now be offered to everyone over 18 in england. and the gap between the second vaccine dose and the booster will be cut from 6 months to three. all twelve to fifteen year olds will now be offered a second vaccine dose, within twelve weeks. . .. of the first. the scientists say there is no need for panic, but there is need for caution. as our medical editor, fergus walsh re
thursday but it will be a gusty day on thursday with showers around the coast and mostly dry and sunny but the showers will turn to snow and even at sea level across northern scotland later and it will be a chilly day if a fresh and crisp one for most. a brief list in temperatures from thursday to friday and outbreaks of rain and strengthening winds. the cold air pushes in and snow falls in the north of scotland but through friday night and into saturday we will see the really strong winds getting going. you can keep up to date with where the warnings on the website and we will have more tomorrow. that s all from the bbc news at six, so it s goodbye from me, and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbc s news teams where you are. hello and welcome to sportsday. i m holly hamilton. the post ole gunnar solkjaer era begins. manchester united take on villareal in the champions league tonight in their first game without their former manager. china responds to the controversy surrounding tenn
turning point for us. from the depths of 2019, that general election, back on track. but labour s gains are marred by the news that sir keir starmer will now be investigated by durham police amid allegations he broke lockdown rules last year. meanwhile, the liberal democrats are jubilant as they win almost 200 seats in england, far more than any other party. the green party made big gains too. and in northern ireland the nationalist party sinn fein look to be on course to make history by winning the most seats at stormont. also tonight, as russia tightens its grip on mariupol, the families of ukrainian troops under siege in the azofstal steelplant plead for their safe passage. prince harry and meghan say they will attend the platinum jubilee celebrations, but the queen says they won t be appearing on the buckingham palace balcony. and coming up in the sport on the bbc news channel, ben stokes hits a record breaking 161 for durham just a week after being named england captain.
the families of disabled children tell us their worries about the impact of high energy costs on their childrens conditions. have you told them, lady grantham? she s told us nothing. do sit down. and downton abbey is back on the big screen we talk to the film s stars. and coming up on the bbc news channel: ralf rangnick will become the new austrian national team coach at the end of the season, but he will continue with manchester united in a consultancy role. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc s news at one, live from kyiv. well, russia has confirmed that it attacked this city last night it says it was targeting a missile factory. the attack coincided with the visit here of the united nations secretary general, antonio guterres, who had just finished a meeting with ukraine s president zelensky. we heard the explosions, and shortly afterwards, and shortly after the secretary general told me he was shocked by the attack. ukraine says it was an attempt to humiliate the u
sherry. sunnierand address most of that apart from the sherry. sunnier and warmer days in many areas. yesterday in south yorkshire with the cloud and 9 degrees for the top temperature but today with the sunshine getting closer to 15 degrees, the able average. there is some rain in the forecast this weekend but there is a catch, these are the april rainfall percentages are so far, the rainfall percentages are so far, the rain is coming mainly to those areas which have been closest to their april average. which have been closest to their aprilaverage. scotland which have been closest to their april average. scotland and northern ireland, furthest from the average and wales and england, you may see some but not much of that applies to the first part of may. a mixed picture this weekend. the source of the rain, these weatherfronts initially bringing into scotland and northern ireland tomorrow, a chance in wales and england on sunday but ahead of that with high pressure, another m