in small boats today, undeterred by wednesday's tragedy. britain and france have called for better international coordination in tackling human traffickers. and a ceremony has taken place in egypt to mark the opening to the public of the 3000—year—old avenue of sphinxes in luxor. before we start the papers, let's just remind you of the breaking news tonight. a travel ban is to be imposed on six african nations due to rising concerns over a new variant of the virus which causes covid—19, which officials have dubbed "the worst one we've seen so far". it means flights to england from south africa, namibia, lesotho, botswana, eswatini and zimbabwe will be suspended from midday friday and all six countries will be

added to the red list. let's speak to paul charles, who advises numerous high—profile airlines and is a former boss at virgin atlantic. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. just tell us what this means. the government is acting as soon as possible when it gets information that gives it cause for concern. but i think the concern in the travel sector tonight, affecting the wider economy is the government is yet again falling back on blanket country measures. rather than looking at a system of individual risk. they're basically saying anyone coming from any of those six countries will have to quarantine

from sunday morning orfrom saturday morning in scotland. and this is a system which was heavily criticised for most of the pandemic because it treats countries and individuals coming from countries in exactly the same way if they're fully jabbed coming from countries in exactly the same way if they're fullyjabbed or not at all. surely it will be better to allow those who are fully jobs and fully up—to—date with their vaccines to simply test when they're back at home rather than have to pay the £2000 to go into hotel quarantine. figs the £2000 to go into hotel quarantine-— the £2000 to go into hotel uuarantine. �* , , ., quarantine. as i understand, there are still concerns _ quarantine. as i understand, there are still concerns about _ quarantine. as i understand, there are still concerns about the - are still concerns about the effectiveness of the current vaccines. that is being looked at urgently. your thoughts on that? first of all, there are no known cases in the uk at this stage. the government made it clear tonight that there is no evidence that this potential variance of concern has arrived in the uk. it's important for the government to be seen to act

quickly and to move fast. that is one learning which is very welcome, but they have to move to a system of individual risk. if you are fully jabbed, you should be allowed to come back from that country. rather than the government preventing all flights and forcing quarantine because all that does is put people off from travelling, it causes a lack of confidence, and that's the last thing the travel sector and the wider economy needs right now. we're also learning — wider economy needs right now. we're also learning now _ wider economy needs right now. we're also learning now that _ wider economy needs right now. we're also learning now that the _ wider economy needs right now. we're also learning now that the scottish government have also imposed this travel ban. they said they always that it may be necessary to impose fresh measures. are you saying that the numbers within the countries should be looked at and then restrictions placed?— should be looked at and then restrictions placed? should be looked at and then restrictions laced? ~ �* , restrictions placed? we've been here before where — restrictions placed? we've been here before where there _ restrictions placed? we've been here before where there have _ restrictions placed? we've been here before where there have been - before where there have been concerns about potential variants of

concern. there was a famous nepal variant which turned out to be nothing. there will always be variants of concern that emerge. for how much longer we are going to be in this position where suddenly, flights are banned, where consumers have to go into hotel quarantine, we need to learn to live with this virus. as the government has started to do. that means assessing people on an individual basis. if you're fullyjabbed at the moment, there is no evidence the government has that this potential new variant of concern because it is any threat or any risk. therefore, you should be able to carry on returning from these countries to the uk and simply be advised to test at home instead. rather than be forced into hotel quarantine, which i thought we'd gotten rid of once and for all.

let's look at the practicalities because this man is coming in tomorrow. —— that this ban. if you are a traveller in one of these countries opening to come back the uk, what you do now? the countries opening to come back the uk, what you do now?— countries opening to come back the uk, what you do now? the first thing is obviously — uk, what you do now? the first thing is obviously to _ uk, what you do now? the first thing is obviously to look _ uk, what you do now? the first thing is obviously to look at _ uk, what you do now? the first thing is obviously to look at when - uk, what you do now? the first thing is obviously to look at when your - is obviously to look at when your flight is. frankly, the last flights have left south africa now to the uk. there are no flights and some of those countries. non—software those countries. non—softwa re flights those countries. non—software flights from south africa to the uk. —— nonstop. you should check when your flight arrives, but anybody who's come back from one of those six countries or who may have been travelling across several of them will have to quote hotel quarantine from sunday morning. the government is moving fast at short notice, which is understandable, but they

should be assessing people on individual risks. if you're coming back and you're fully jabbed, you shouldn't be in the same position as somebody who hasn't been jabbed. that's where the government's really got to learn because otherwise, the travel industry will be in a position for years to come potentially, as variants come and 90, potentially, as variants come and go, of finding flights are banned at short notice. that's no way to rebuild confidence to travel. this is a very crucial— rebuild confidence to travel. this is a very crucial time, _ rebuild confidence to travel. this is a very crucial time, not only for the industry, but forfamilies reuniting, the last of any business before the festive period, and we know there is a lot that takes place. crucialtime know there is a lot that takes place. crucial time for the travel industry, to what extent will this potentially hit them? it industry, to what extent will this potentially hit them?— industry, to what extent will this potentially hit them? it has been crucial because _ potentially hit them? it has been crucial because i _ potentially hit them? it has been crucial because i confidence - potentially hit them? it has been crucial because i confidence hasl crucial because i confidence has been restored. it's been rebuilt over the last few weeks by much of the travel industry. airlines have

been getting back to pretty well 60% of what they sell pre—pandemic, some tour operators and travel agents have been back at 80% of their business we pandemic, hotel have been starting to recover, much of the few chain of the travel industry has been recovering successfully. especially with the reopening of us borders. this will be a real dent, a real blow tonight. already talking to the people in sector, people i worked with, there is real concern that in fact, there's a danger we're moving backwards again, and that will knock confidence. there are a lot of people who would have booked trips to south africa this christmas and wider southern africa, and this decision will clearly cause of much concern. i decision will clearly cause of much concern. ., , ., ~' decision will clearly cause of much concern. . , ., ~ ., ., decision will clearly cause of much concern. ., ~ ., ., ., , concern. i was talking to a family when this news _ concern. i was talking to a family when this news broke, _ concern. i was talking to a family when this news broke, and - concern. i was talking to a family when this news broke, and it - when this news broke, and it sounds as if they are it will be some

children who are also stuck here. for example, i was asked, "can i transit through another country." transit through another country. " what transit through another country." what do you understand about that? can you circumvent the restriction and go through your up, and then come to the uk? m0. and go through your up, and then come to the uk?— and go through your up, and then come to the uk? no, you won't be able to because _ come to the uk? no, you won't be able to because the _ come to the uk? no, you won't be able to because the border - come to the uk? no, you won't be able to because the border force, l able to because the border force, border control here in the uk will want to know where you've been, especially in the last ten days, probably two weeks. if you come in via another country, then you would have to explain your past itinerary, where you've been over the last two week period, and the border officials will want to know that. they will be checking more intensely over the next few days. especially ahead of hotel quarantine returning. it's very difficult to circumvent, nor should you. it would be illegal to do that. you have to declare

where you've been in the last ten days, especially if you've been in one of these six countries. pauli one of these six countries. paul charles, thank _ one of these six countries. paul charles, thank you _ one of these six countries. paul charles, thank you for - one of these six countries. paul charles, thank you for clarifying that. good night. you're watching bbc news. let's catch up with those front pages. hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me arejessica elgot, deputy political editor of the guardian, and claire cohen, women's editor at the daily telegraph. very good evening to you both. before our chat, quit look at the front pages. let's start with the guardian. it leads with the new coronavirus variant, saying the red list has six countries added following the �*significant threat�* from the new variant. the telegraph tells

the story of a husband who fears his wife drowned in the channel tragedy after 27 people died trying to cross to the uk. and it says the �*new super—variant puts african countries on red list�*. the financial times says there�*s a clash between britain and france following the incident in the english channel. the metro leads with the desperation of people arriving to the uk by boat, with a young boy pictured wrapped in a blanket at dover. the independent — a plea for safe routes to britain is �*rejected�* by ministers. the daily mirror describes the channel—crossing dinghies as �*diy death boats�*, as it says �*people will still take risk. the times — more talk of the new covid variant as it halts travel to africa. the daily express highlights

the response to the channel crossing tragedy as british are set to patrol french beaches. —— british troops. that was a quick look through some of those front pages. let�*s start off and kick off our chat. jessica i wonder if you could kick off with your front page. this is your story as well. this covid variant poses significant threat. it's variant poses significant threat. it�*s a flight ban as well, so it�*s particularly super stringent which shows you how seriously they are taking this this variant, which is risky for a lot of reasons. it�*s more transmissible, which means it could potentially overtake some variants like delta, which has become the one that�*s dominant

worldwide. they think it has the potential to evade immunity. 0bviously, when they made such good progress, we got a very high percentage of people vaccinated. also, just a big push to get people booster vaccines. that�*s essentially why we don�*t have the restrictions, even though cases are higher than a lot of countries. we�*ve seen reasonably flat hospitalizations and deaths. if something happens that could evade that, that is the thing that really throws everything into doubt. ., i that really throws everything into doubt.- i think— that really throws everything into doubt.- i think a _ that really throws everything into doubt.- i think a lot - that really throws everything into doubt.- i think a lot of- doubt. claire? i think a lot of --eole doubt. claire? i think a lot of people will— doubt. claire? i think a lot of people will be _ doubt. claire? i think a lot of people will be reading - doubt. claire? i think a lot of people will be reading this i doubt. claire? i think a lot of. people will be reading this and doubt. claire? i think a lot of- people will be reading this and not knowing how to feel because it's another— knowing how to feel because it's another variant. we've been through this several— another variant. we've been through this several times. there was the

data variant and the veto variant at the end _ data variant and the veto variant at the end of— data variant and the veto variant at the end of last year, and a return to the _ the end of last year, and a return to the red — the end of last year, and a return to the red lips will have a lot of people feeling dismal because we thought— people feeling dismal because we thought we got rid of that earlier this month, and the government needs to be seen_ this month, and the government needs to be seen to _ this month, and the government needs to be seen to be acting quickly. but ithink— to be seen to be acting quickly. but i think people will be wondering how serious _ i think people will be wondering how serious this really is given there are no— serious this really is given there are no cases in the uk yet. the incidents— are no cases in the uk yet. the incidents in— are no cases in the uk yet. the incidents in south africa is considered low. i think it was 77 cases _ considered low. i think it was 77 cases i— considered low. i think it was 77 cases. i think it could be seen as perhaps— cases. i think it could be seen as perhaps a — cases. i think it could be seen as perhaps a bit of a knee jerk reaction _ perhaps a bit of a knee jerk reaction. people will be thinking, can't _ reaction. people will be thinking, can't we — reaction. people will be thinking, can't we just live with this now? do we have _ can't we just live with this now? do we have to — can't we just live with this now? do we have to put our christmases and our family— we have to put our christmases and our family gatherings at risk for something that's not in the uk? | something that's not in the uk? i have something that's not in the uk? have some something that's not in the uk? i have some figures from south something that's not in the uk? i have some figures from south africa of around africa have some figures from south africa ofaround 1,000, have some figures from south africa of around 1,000, so that may well be so so that an update. we�*re going to turn to the

to the telegraph. it is the story of the new super variant puts african countries on the red list. jessica, so that �* the it really does make the argument to the so that jessica, make that we�*re not safe until everyone is vaccinated. all these rich safe until all �*e until all these. countries that have been hoarding vaccines and doing fantastically and all these. and doing |ese. well in vaccinating their populations, if mutations are allowed to continue with their to |d doing $56er ’: ,, , ~ ~ ,, , populations that aren�*t vaccinated, ton that1g $56er ’: ,, , ~ ~ ,, , ton thataren�*tsz ’: ,, , ~ ~ ,, , it defeats the object, doesn�*t it? this is an argument that a lot of lot of people have been making, including the who. is it ethical firstly for us to vaccinate 5—12 —year—olds. to give people boosterjabs, front line health care workers and elderly

people in countries across the