point this is a vital choke point difficult or medically and for trade. , . �* , difficult or medically and for trade. , ., �*, , trade. yes, that's absolutely right. 12% of global— trade. yes, that's absolutely right. 1296 of global trade _ trade. yes, that's absolutely right. 1296 of global trade passes - trade. yes, that's absolutely right. 1296 of global trade passes through i 12% of global trade passes through that choke point every year. it's been _ that choke point every year. it's been described the current intercontinental traffic jam, been described the current intercontinental trafficjam, stuck intercontinental traffic jam, stuck intercontinental traffic jam, stuck in the _ intercontinental trafficjam, stuck in the throat of global commerce, and it's_ in the throat of global commerce, and it's an — in the throat of global commerce, and it's an extraordinary. those pictures. — and it's an extraordinary. those pictures, the absolutely colossal taiwanese vessel with all this container— taiwanese vessel with all this container on it trying to dislodge it as it's— container on it trying to dislodge it as it's sort of crashed sideways into the — it as it's sort of crashed sideways into the banks of the canal. it really— into the banks of the canal. it really is — into the banks of the canal. it really is a _ into the banks of the canal. it really is a high—stakes game, there are 165— really is a high—stakes game, there are 165 vessels piled up, waiting to pass through that her stop at most and. pass through that her stop at most and -- _ pass through that her stop at most and. —— stuck at both ends. $10 a day is _ and. —— stuck at both ends. $10 a day is threatened by this continuing, so i think we have to see the — continuing, so i think we have to see the rescue approach. some are trying _

see the rescue approach. some are trying to— see the rescue approach. some are trying to remove the containers on the vessei— trying to remove the containers on the vessel in order to get it moving _ the vessel in order to get it movinu. ~ . . the vessel in order to get it movin. ~ ., ., ., ,~' the vessel in order to get it movin. ~ ., ., ., ., ., moving. miatta, i did ask and ask burt or there _ moving. miatta, i did ask and ask burt or there whether _ moving. miatta, i did ask and ask burt or there whether there - moving. miatta, i did ask and ask burt or there whether there is - moving. miatta, i did ask and ask burt or there whether there is a l burt or there whether there is a hard shoulder on the suez —— an expert. there are bits where you can overtake, but clearly, this one ship has gonzales. it's blocking everything. they bought... —— the ship has done it. everything. they bought. .. -- the ship has done it.— everything. they bought... -- the ship has done it. they clearly have it! this is really... _ ship has done it. they clearly have it! this is really... we _ ship has done it. they clearly have it! this is really... we don't - ship has done it. they clearly have it! this is really... we don't tend l it! this is really... we don't tend to think about the supply change and how goods come into this country, and i think this is a classic case, just understanding all the complexities that are involved in this. it's worrying because it comes at a time when supply chains are under pressure anyway. countries are coming out of the pandemic and lockdowns and all the other disruptions that happened in our supply chains. so this is a really

very worrying development at this sort of stage of the cycle, and you desperately hope the engineers and others can sort it out. let’s desperately hope the engineers and others can sort it out.— others can sort it out. let's go to the daily telegraph. _ others can sort it out. let's go to the daily telegraph. there - others can sort it out. let's go to the daily telegraph. there is - others can sort it out. let's go to the daily telegraph. there is a i the daily telegraph. there is a story which, as a presenter, i'm going to tiptoe into for obvious reasons. union flag to fly from government building. i'm going to ignore the last paragraph about the bbc and concentrate on the first paragraph. the union flag will be flown every day around protocols. lucy fisher, your paper. yes. flown every day around protocols. lucy fisher, your paper. yes, well, all of the doubt _ lucy fisher, your paper. yes, well, all of the doubt and _ lucy fisher, your paper. yes, well, all of the doubt and argues - lucy fisher, your paper. yes, well, all of the doubt and argues that. all of the doubt and argues that this wiii— all of the doubt and argues that this will be a reminder to people, the ties— this will be a reminder to people, the ties that bind all four nations of the _ the ties that bind all four nations of the uk — the ties that bind all four nations of the uk. it's clearly part of the government's union strategy, but i also think— government's union strategy, but i also think there is a political eiemeht _ also think there is a political element there as well. we know talking _ element there as well. we know talking up— element there as well. we know talking up patriotism is something that the _ talking up patriotism is something that the conservative party like to

use to _ that the conservative party like to use to punch the labour routes across — use to punch the labour routes across the _ use to punch the labour routes across the red hall, where the labour— across the red hall, where the labour party is seated in a postelection frenzy. —— forensic study _ postelection frenzy. —— forensic study about their defeat. voters there _ study about their defeat. voters there believe it's too metropolitan, so it's— there believe it's too metropolitan, so it's part — there believe it's too metropolitan, so it's part of that culture war. i think— so it's part of that culture war. i think that — so it's part of that culture war. i think that might be seen from more cynical— think that might be seen from more cynical types. they they can have union flag that they want. it feels token and stick to me and in the end, i think the real sign up patriotism is what you do for people of other countries. fly the facts you want, but if the economy is creeping, if parts of the country are not improving, it means absolutely nothing. i advised the government to spend less time on the optics and the flag and more time on actually trying to make the country

better. , ., ., ., better. there is an old government minister i remember— better. there is an old government minister i remember a _ better. there is an old government minister i remember a few - better. there is an old government minister i remember a few years i better. there is an old government i minister i remember a few years ago being interest through —— interviewed, there was a british flag behind them and when they were interviewed by the british media, they swap that for a plant, not wanting to seem that they were showing a flag behind them. very clearly, things have changed since then. let's stay with the daily telegraph. let's look at a difficult story for business, john lewis closures, i hammer blow to cities. lucy, i imagine like me, you probably shop online and like everyone else, which is whyjohn lewis is in a real problem. the everyone else, which is why john lewis is in a real problem. the sad news that john _ lewis is in a real problem. the sad news that john lewis _ lewis is in a real problem. the sad news that john lewis is _ lewis is in a real problem. the sad news that john lewis is closing - news thatjohn lewis is closing eight _ news thatjohn lewis is closing eight more stores, including in york and peterborough, there are 1500 'obs and peterborough, there are 1500 jobs on _ and peterborough, there are 1500 jobs on the line which will be worrying _ jobs on the line which will be worrying to the families affected. as you _ worrying to the families affected. as you say, the pandemic has accelerated a trend that was there previously. shopping online can be more _ previously. shopping online can be more convenient, but it is worrying

about— more convenient, but it is worrying about the _ more convenient, but it is worrying about the future of our high streets. _ about the future of our high streets, which are increasingly hoitowed — streets, which are increasingly hollowed out and pretty miserable places _ hollowed out and pretty miserable places to — hollowed out and pretty miserable places to be. and it also raises questions _ places to be. and it also raises questions for the treasury about how to extract _ questions for the treasury about how to extract taxation from online deadlocks. i think this will ramp up questions — deadlocks. i think this will ramp up questions for rishi sunak about whether— questions for rishi sunak about whether he's going to bring in the much—needed amazon tax. is whether he's going to bring in the much-needed amazon tax.- whether he's going to bring in the much-needed amazon tax. is the high street as we — much-needed amazon tax. is the high street as we knew _ much-needed amazon tax. is the high street as we knew it _ much-needed amazon tax. is the high street as we knew it gone? _ much-needed amazon tax. is the high street as we knew it gone? i _ much-needed amazon tax. is the high street as we knew it gone? i think- street as we knew it gone? i think it's fundamentally _ street as we knew it gone? i think it's fundamentally changing. - street as we knew it gone? i think it's fundamentally changing. it's l it's fundamentally changing. it's declining by the minute and it would... a combination of flexible working space, community spaces, housing as well as retail is probably the future of the high street. . ~' , ., probably the future of the high street. ., ,, , ., ., probably the future of the high street. ., ~' , ., ., ., that's it for the papers for this hour. lucy and miatta will be back later for a look at more of tomorrow's front pages. do stay with us.

good evening, i'm tulsen tollett, and this your sports news, where we start with football and the european world cup qualifiers got underway this evening with wales losing 3—1 away to belgium. it all started well for the visitors though when gareth bale's lovely pass saw harry wilson score the opener as they looked to replicate their euro 2016 win over the same opponents, but shortly after kevin de bruyne equalised for the home side with the type of strike we regularly see him put away for manchester city. thorgan hazard added a second before belgium's record goalscorer romelu lukaku made sure of the result from the penalty spot. alan browne scored the republic of ireland's first goal in seven matches, heading his side in front but serbia drew level at halftime and then two goals from aleksandar mitrovic, including this wonderful chip over mark travers helped secure his side a 3—2 win in belgrade.

chelsea will take a 2—1 lead into the second leg of their women's champions league quarter—final tie against two—time champions and last year's runners up wolfsburg. manchester city though, look to be heading out. they were beaten 3—0 by barcelona. adam wild reports. to be the best, you have to beat the best. manchester city have been largely untroubled of late for supper —— as of late. behind before half—time, this was not bar supplies my first chance but the first on campus the spanish champions look to kick on man city kicking out. 2—0 from the penalty spot. what city needed was to be getting a chance but getting one and taking one is a very different matter. chloe kelly from the spot, not quite. barcelona added a third before the end for some it will take something very special for manchester city to turn this around. the standard set, chelsea were under no illusions

as to the size of their task. wolfsburg, the german champions, and for much of the first half they were struggling to keep pace. there is reason by this chelsea site is so highly revered, amongst them some of the best in the world. this was a sam kerr and the finish was quite brilliant. wolfsburg were being frustrated and with an outstanding save to keep chelsea in front. and then out of the blue, a gift for the blues, and uncharacteristically mistake, for the former wolfsburg player, ruthless, but despite playing in hungary, this was technically home game for chelsea. wolfsburg pulled one back from the spot, that may yet prove important. chelsea with the advantage but only just. adam wild, bbc news. pitch—side saliva tests for concussion have moved a step closer, after a successful trial in rugby union players. it could mean a big breakthrough in developments dealing

with head trauma in sport. it comes after rugby�*s governing bodies face a lawsuit from retired players suffering with early on—set dementia. the tests are currently being carried out in a lab, and it'll be at least two years before the pitch side version is available. i have been working on concussion and concussion diagnostics for over two decades and there hasn't been a breakthrough like this, something that is quick and accurate and is measurable, almost from the point of injury. the fact is it is noninvasive and accurate at the same time. it is quite a breakthrough for this field of work. it was a day to forget for rory mcilroy at the wgc matchplay event in texas losing six and five to ian poulter. the northern irishman found water twice, the first one into a residential swimming pool when hooking the ball left on the fifth hole in austin and then he chipped across the green on the 13th, where it eventually ended up in the pond.

the world number 11 has employed a new coach in pete cowen, who looks like he'll have plenty to work on ahead of his next group match against american lanto griffin. british number two cameron norrie is through to the second round of the miami open after a final set comeback against yoshihito nishioka. the 25—year—old was five games to one down in the deciding third set against the japanese world number 66, but fought back to win six games in a row to take the set 7—5 and set up a meeting against ninth seeded bulgarian grigor dimitrov. just a few days until the start of the new formula one season, and a former champion returns, perhaps with a point to prove. fernando alonso believes he's better than many of the young drivers on the grid, as he returns to the sport with alpeen this season. alonso knows that world champion lewis hamilton will take some stopping, and reckons the british driver is up there with the likes of michael schumacher and ayrton senna. he has been driving better than anyone else, and when you win so many championships it's

because you deserve it, as well. so, yeah, lewis was so dominating in the sport for many years and is the best in the history, or one of the best in history with michael and ayrton. mark selby eased into the tour championship semi—finals with a ten frames to three victory over kyren wilson. the three—time world champion was never threatened by his fellow englishman at the celtic manor resort and moves through to a match up against neil robertson. two of snooker�*s greatest names will renew a rivalry that stretches back to the 1980s. stephen hendry — who's returned to the sport after retiring in 2012 — will facejimmy white in world championship qualifying next month. hendry beat white in four crucible finals in the 1990s, and ended up with a record seven titles in the modern era. despite being a crowd favourite white has never won a world final, losing all six. he's currently ranked 83 in the world.

hendry said that they've recently been practising togther, but that will now stop! you can head to the bbc sport website. and that's all the sport for now. hello there. the weather's looking pretty unsettled over the next few days and it's going to be turning colder by friday as well. before we get there, today's satellite picture a developing area of cloud just to the west of the british isles. that's going to move across northern ireland over the next few hours, and then moving into western scotland, so we have some wet weather on the way here as well. the rain turning increasingly into albany as well. for these northwesterly areas, it is going to be a great start with rain around. elsewhere, some spells of sunshine with showers developing

through the day, notably across eastern england —— a grey start. if you live around this area, a chance of showers. across the midlands and the south of that line is probably going to stay mostly dry through the afternoon with some sunshine. 13 or 14 afternoon with some sunshine. 13 or ia celsius, a bit cooler in the northwest, and turning colourfor all of us on friday. —— turning cooler.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. britain and the european union move to calm tensions over access to coronavirus vaccines. the eu blames astrazeneca for the slowness of their roll—out. if astrazeneca had delivered exactly the number of doses which was planned, like they did in the uk, we will be today exactly at the same rate of vaccination than the uk. brazil's death toll from covid—i9 approaches the 300,000 mark. and uncorking the suez canal — the egyptian authorities say they finally righted a huge container ship that for a8 hours was blocking the passage for all transit.