this is bbc news. our top stories: mandatory mask—wearing in shops and on public transport is being reintroduced in england, after two confirmed cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus in the uk. the health secretary's expected to announce more details on restrictions. israel will ban the entry of all foreigners for two weeks to try to prevent the spread of the new omicron variant — one case has so far been confirmed in the country. european ministers, minus the british home secretary priti patel, meet for talks in calais today about how to stop migrants crossing the channel. and weather warnings are still in place in parts of the uk — as the clean up from

storm arwen continues. hello and welcome to bbc news. the uk health secretary, sajid javid, is giving more details today about the government's new covid measures aimed at combatting the omicron variant — that's the variant discovered this last week in southern africa. it comes after two cases were detected in essex and nottingham. from tuesday — all international travellers arriving in the country must now take a pcr test within two days, and self isolate, until they get a negative result. all those who've been in contact with someone who has the omicron variant, will also have to self—isolate for 10 days, regardless of whether they've been vaccinated. face coverings will once

again become compulsory in shops and on public transport in england from next week. in scotland, wales and northern ireland they're already mandatory on public transport and in many indoor areas. katharine da costa reports. it is hard to believe just a week ago no—one had even heard of omicron, a highly mutated covid variant that may spread more rapidly and could make vaccines less effective. but with the confirmation of two cases of the variant here in the uk, concerns have escalated quickly. our scientists are learning more hour by hour and it does appear that omicron spreads very rapidly and can be spread between people who are double vaccinated. there is also a very extensive mutation which means it diverges quite significantly from previous configurations of the virus and, as a result, it might at least in part reduce the protection of our vaccines over time. four more countries

in southern africa have been added to the travel red list, bringing the total to ten. from next week there will be new targeted restrictions, all international arrivals must take a pcr test on day two and self isolate until they receive a negative result, all contacts of suspected omicron cases must self isolate regardless of their vaccine status and in england face coverings will be mandatory in shops and on public transport as is the case already in other uk nations. the point we have at the moment is there's a lot of uncertainty about the new omicron variant and because of that uncertainty it is sensible to take a precautionary approach until we know which way things are going. the government had been criticised for being too slow to act with delta — this time they've move quickly this time they've moved quickly but the opposition thinks they could have gone further.

the government's plan b has always been our plan a. - we think that mask wearing should be commonplace in public— spaces, especially indoors. we think that people should be able to work from home - where that is possible. i think we should have been doing all those things - already so of course we want them to be doing that now. _ the message is vaccines are still our best defence. mrjohnson said they plan to boost the booster campaign and would ask the jcvi whether they should be offered to all adults and if the gap should be shortened between the second and third doses. we don't yet exactly know how effective our vaccines will be against omicron, but we have good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection and, if you are boosted, your response is likely to be stronger. so it is more vital than ever that people get theirjabs and we get those boosters into arms as fast as possible. the prime minister said he thought christmas would be better than last year.

the new measures will be reviewed in three weeks, by which time we should know how big a threat omicron poses and whether ministers have done enough to limit its spread. katharine da costa, bbc news. our political correspondent, jonathan blake is with me. more jonathan blake is with me. detailed starting to em from more detailed starting to emerge from the government about their restrictions?— from the government about their restrictions? , , . .,, from the government about their restrictions? , , . ., restrictions? yes, we expect most of these new measures _ restrictions? yes, we expect most of these new measures apply _ restrictions? yes, we expect most of these new measures apply in - restrictions? yes, we expect most of| these new measures apply in england to be implemented early in this coming week. already the government has announced online that pcr tests, which will be required for all travellers arriving within the uk within two days of arrival will be required from tuesday morning, from 4am on tuesday morning, the government website is being updated to give that information. not long before these measures are introduced and masks as well will be required on public transport and certain other indoor settings and the health secretary will give more details

about that later. there will be a vote in parliament at some point, mps will be able to approve these measures, not particularly controversial in themselves and i don't expect that to cause the government much trouble but labour will argue for more to be done. the health secretary, sajid javid, has been speaking this morning and on sky news he has talked about the possible extension of the vaccine booster programme and is expecting imminent advice from thejcvi, which advises the government on that. yesterday the prime minister talked about possibly offering that two more adults, so i think we will see some movement on that front quickly as well. looking further ahead, sajid javid has said he expects people to plan for christmas as normal and he thinks it will be a great christmas. so perhaps some reassuring words for people making their christmas plans. also, whether their christmas plans. also, whether the government will possibly going further, these restrictions will be

reviewed in three weeks' time. he says we are nowhere near reintroducing working from home or other social distancing measures. so it seems like this is as far as the government wants to and expects to government wants to and expects to go at this point. you government wants to and expects to go at this point-— go at this point. you mention broad olitical go at this point. you mention broad political support _ go at this point. you mention broad political support for _ go at this point. you mention broad political support for these _ go at this point. you mention broad political support for these moves, l political support for these moves, and that is the situation isn't it? labour have been saying they wanted the government to go further on face coverings earlier?— coverings earlier? yes, and they say now the government _ coverings earlier? yes, and they say now the government should - coverings earlier? yes, and they say now the government should be - now the government should be implementing, not only mandatory face coverings, which the prime minister announced yesterday, but also asking more people to work from home and covid passports as well should be considered by the government at this point. there may be called when mps get a chance to debate these measures later in the week for the government to give more details. i think labour will press the government on that, why it is introducing face coverings now in certain settings and how some of these measures will work. the pcr test for travellers coming in, how

tightly will it be monitored? whether it will be enforced legally? and also around the isolation rules the prime minister announced yesterday, asking people to isolate if they have had contact with the positive case of the new variant. that is possibly workable while they are relatively few cases of it but if it becomes more dominant and spreading more widely, more people will be potentially self isolating in the weeks to come. jonathan, for the moment. _ in the weeks to come. jonathan, for the moment, thank— in the weeks to come. jonathan, for the moment, thank you _ in the weeks to come. jonathan, for the moment, thank you very - in the weeks to come. jonathan, for the moment, thank you very much i the moment, thank you very much indeed. israel is to ban the entry of all foreigners for two weeks to try to prevent the spread of the new omicron variant, first detected in south africa. one case has so far been confirmed in the country — with seven more people suspected of being infected. sophisticated anti—terrorism technology will be used to track the phones of those with the variant. mark lobel reports. with the christmas season launched in bethlehem, omicron�*s arrival is the news nobody wished for.

translation: the the news nobody wished for. translation: . ., ., ., , translation: the coronavirus will not be a reason _ translation: the coronavirus will not be a reason to _ translation: the coronavirus will not be a reason to stop _ translation: the coronavirus will not be a reason to stop life - translation: the coronavirus will not be a reason to stop life in - not be a reason to stop life in bethlehem, palestine and the world. israel begins its festival of lights with the proposal to ban all foreigners entering for at least two weeks. we foreigners entering for at least two weeks. ~ ., ., , ., foreigners entering for at least two weeks. . ., ., , ., ., foreigners entering for at least two weeks. ~ ., ., , ., ., . weeks. we are raising a red flag. we understand we _ weeks. we are raising a red flag. we understand we are _ weeks. we are raising a red flag. we understand we are on _ weeks. we are raising a red flag. we understand we are on the _ weeks. we are raising a red flag. we understand we are on the verge - weeks. we are raising a red flag. we understand we are on the verge of i weeks. we are raising a red flag. we understand we are on the verge of a | understand we are on the verge of a state of emergency. now is the time to act fast early, hard and strong. switzerland's response? a ten day quarantine for travellers from countries with known cases of the highly transmissible variant. first detected in south africa, there have been at least four cases of omicron in botswana, two in hong kong and one in belgium. there have been at least two cases in southern germany, one in italy and two in the uk. a suspected case in the czech republic and dozens of these arrivals from

south africa to the netherlands tested positive and are suspected of having omicron. and now australia has confirmed its first cases of omicron in passengers from southern africa. with cases spreading around the world fast, there is anger at the world fast, there is anger at the many travel bans singling out south africa and its neighbours. hm? south africa and its neighbours. why are we south africa and its neighbours. "i1: are we looking south africa and its neighbours. “ii"ug' are we looking away africa south africa and its neighbours. ii"i;: are we looking away africa when south africa and its neighbours. “ii"iy are we looking away africa when this virus is already on three continents? nobody is locking away belgium, nobody is locking away israel. african leaders need to sit up israel. african leaders need to sit up and president needs to wake up and realise it is not business as usual, their continent is at stake, our lives are at stake. figs our lives are at stake. as preparations _ our lives are at stake. as preparations for christmas get under way the uk, us... france, romania... and lithuania, the next four weeks should determine whether this extremely transmissible variant will spike the vaccine progress made so

far, orwhether spike the vaccine progress made so far, or whether scenes like these can continue into the christmas season. mark lobel, bbc news. 61 people who arrived in amsterdam on two flights from south africa on friday are infected with covid—i9 and have been placed into isolation. they were among 600 passengers who were held for several hours after arrival while they were tested for the virus. the dutch health authorities are conducting further testing to see if any of them are carrying the recently discovered “omicron“ variant — now classed as a variant of concern. anna holligan is outside schiphol airport. what is the latest, what are we hearing about that testing? those assen . ers hearing about that testing? those passengers are — hearing about that testing? those passengers are being _ hearing about that testing? those passengers are being held - hearing about that testing? those passengers are being held in - passengers are being held in isolation in a hotel all at home not far from isolation in a hotel all at home not farfrom here. the ministry of

health last night confirmed it suspected some of those passengers are indeed carrying the new variant, omicron. we are expecting confirmation later today, further sequencing tests are taking place. but flights are continuing to learn, one due in from johannesburg in about an hour one due in from johannesburg in aboutan hourand one due in from johannesburg in about an hour and another from one due in from johannesburg in about an hour and anotherfrom cape town. i spoke to the airport earlier today and they said as soon as those passengers land, they will be subjected to pcr tests right away. these arrivals are causing a lot of concern in the netherlands, facing record—breaking infection rates and, of course, today new messages are coming into place to try to stop the hospitals here from becoming overwhelmed.— hospitals here from becoming overwhelmed. , , overwhelmed. those people, when they arrived, overwhelmed. those people, when they arrived. there — overwhelmed. those people, when they arrived, there was _ overwhelmed. those people, when they arrived, there was quite _ overwhelmed. those people, when they arrived, there was quite a _ overwhelmed. those people, when they arrived, there was quite a lot _ overwhelmed. those people, when they arrived, there was quite a lot of - arrived, there was quite a lot of consternation wasn't there? they didn't know what was going on, they didn't know what was going on, they didn't feel like they were being properly informed?— didn't feel like they were being properly informed? precisely. the air - ort properly informed? precisely. the airport told _ properly informed? precisely. the airport told us _ properly informed? precisely. the airport told us this _ properly informed? precisely. the airport told us this was _ properly informed? precisely. the airport told us this was an - airport told us this was an extraordinary situation and they are

evaluating how it is being handled. today, a lot of the places people hoping to visit will be closing early because under these new measures bars, restaurants, cafes, nonessential shops will all have to close at five o“clock nonessential shops will all have to close at five o'clock in the afternoon until five o“clock close at five o'clock in the afternoon until five o'clock in the morning. amateur sports, too. this is the time of year when so many businesses were hoping to recover some of the costs lost during the pandemic, but these measures are considered to be critical. because record—breaking infection rates, another 22,000 new cases diagnosed yesterday, intensive care units overwhelmed and now looking at this new variant possibly running wild. 0k, new variant possibly running wild. ok, anna, thank you very much. ministers from belgium, germany and the netherlands are expected in calais today, to discuss the growing risks of migration across the channel. the meeting comes after at least 27 people died trying to reach uk shores on wednesday. the home secretary, priti patel, was due to join the meeting

but was disinvited amid growing diplomatic tensions, as our france correspondent lucy williamson reports. they say that people smugglers are the enemy but the fight is pushing london and paris apart. this is not really a bilateral issue, france says. the uk must talk to the eu as a whole. but today the eu will be talking together while london has been left out into the cold. more than half the people in migrant camps here have come from belgium, the government says, in search of the shortest route across the channel to british shores. a few miles from these sodden tents, france's interior minister will meat colleagues from belgium, germany, the netherlands and the eu today to discuss how to tackle the people smuggling networks. the uk“s absence highlights the tension this issue is causing. british politicians used to remind their european

counterparts during brexit negotiations that the uk was not leaving europe, just leaving the eu. what that distinction means for managing cross channel migration is still being hammered out. lucy williamson, bbc news, calais. benedicte paviot is france 24's uk correspondent. we know that relations between the uk and france have been pretty poor for quite a while, but this must be a new low, rock bottom, do have a british minister dis— invited from a meeting like this? british minister dis- invited from a meeting like this?— meeting like this? yes, this is a new low. _ meeting like this? yes, this is a new low. but — meeting like this? yes, this is a new low, but coming _ meeting like this? yes, this is a new low, but coming on - meeting like this? yes, this is a new low, but coming on top - meeting like this? yes, this is a new low, but coming on top of. meeting like this? yes, this is a i new low, but coming on top of the fisheries dispute, the lack of resolution over the northern ireland protocol, the threat since july of an revocation of article 16 by the united kingdom, full suspension are

only part of the brexit agreement negotiated, signed by this prime minister and this government, eight tweets on thursday night, a public letter and what is a very complex over 20—year—old immigration problem, a global immigration problem, a global immigration problem, where france is a transient country, says president macron, and were increasingly countries like the netherlands and germany are seen as where the gangs of criminals that are making an awful lot of money from desperate people, throwing themselves on overcrowded, unseaworthy small boats across the channel, the busiest shipping lane, it is said, in the world. you can see that is not a way of doing business, that the french president, emmanuel macron, who only 2a hours before had spoken to borisjohnson,

yes, a new low. before had spoken to boris johnson, yes. a new low-— yes, a new low. france were furious after the british _ yes, a new low. france were furious after the british have _ yes, a new low. france were furious after the british have put _ yes, a new low. france were furious after the british have put out - yes, a new low. france were furious after the british have put out that i after the british have put out that letter from after the british have put out that letterfrom borisjohnson after the british have put out that letter from borisjohnson to manual macron letterfrom borisjohnson to manual macron on letter from borisjohnson to manual macron on twitter. he was very angry, but what is the way back from this? they can't be a solution on this? they can't be a solution on this whole issue of migrants coming across the channel, what is the best way out of it? the across the channel, what is the best way out of it?— way out of it? the best way is to eniiae way out of it? the best way is to engage in _ way out of it? the best way is to engage in dialogue. _ way out of it? the best way is to engage in dialogue. what - way out of it? the best way is to engage in dialogue. what we - way out of it? the best way is to i engage in dialogue. what we have way out of it? the best way is to - engage in dialogue. what we have got todayis engage in dialogue. what we have got today is a very important meeting happening at two o'clock uk time. you have got the ministers of belgium, france, germany and the netherlands, but you have represented in of the european commission on immigration matters and they will be looking at, not just a france uk issue, this is, as i said, global, just a france uk issue, this is, as isaid, global, 18 just a france uk issue, this is, as i said, global, 18 million refugees coming from countries, afghanistan, syria, somalia and all kinds of

countries. so really the problem is much bigger and wider. it is to try and find an eu solution or solutions, it won't be just one solution, and then looking at saying that and announcing that to the british and seeing how a dialogue can properly be engaged to try and find some sort of resolution, particularly after the tragedy of wednesday. it was an accident, i think, waiting to happen, but a tragic one nobody wants to see repeated. but what is important is not to do this with tweets of published letters and france sees the letter, that is the suspicion, not actually aimed at paris and the french government and engaging in dialogue but more meant for a domestic audience and for the conservative party itself because after all, conservative party itself because afterall, brexit conservative party itself because after all, brexit is about taking back control of borders. it is clear

you need to engage and have agreements. there is no agreement since the uk left the eu. that needs to be by bilateral or setting with the eu, concrete dialogue and concrete suggestions. having said that, france and the uk collaborate on all kinds of defence and security issues across the world and also they are cooperating in many ways on they are cooperating in many ways on the french shows with, we know british money being contributed to that. but it is the safety and security measures are so efficient, for example, eurotunnel and the eurostar, that now because of the pandemic people cannot come over on lorries and throwing themselves on boats. ., ., lorries and throwing themselves on boats. ., ,, , ., ,., lorries and throwing themselves on boats. ., ,, , ., . lorries and throwing themselves on boats. ., ,, . ., boats. indeed. thank you so much for talkin: to boats. indeed. thank you so much for talking to us — boats. indeed. thank you so much for talking to us from _ boats. indeed. thank you so much for talking to us from france _ boats. indeed. thank you so much for talking to us from france 24. - several weather warnings remain in place across much of scotland and northern england this morning, as the effects of storm arwen continue to disrupt transport networks and power supplies. three people are now known to have died after gale force winds brought

down trees and damaged buildings, with heavy snowfall leaving hundreds of drivers stranded. greg mckenzie has more. a winter wonderland for many across large parts of northern britain but for others, a day of disruption, with road and rail travel affected, power lines brought down in swaledale, in the yorkshire dales, leaving many without electricity. the situation made worse in some places by heavy snow. a lot of the people are reasonably well—prepared because they live here and it is sort of a thing that happens occasionally during the winter but we do have people like our neighbour, patricia, who they do struggle quite a lot “cause they do not have heating, they do not have the sort of flexibility to cope. across the uk, falling trees have killed three people. one man in aberdeenshire, another in cumbria and a third in antrim. francis lagan died when galeforce winds brought a large

branch down to his car. he was travelling with his wife and two of his children at the time. scotland and the north—east of england felt storm arwen“s full force, battered by strong winds of nearly 100 mph. i had two kids in here as well and they were freaking out. is that a thunderstorm? but i think it was the roof coming apart and it sounded a bit like thunderstorm. scotrail says several of its routes will be suspended until the end of today. network rail scotland saying the situation was one of the most challenging in recent memory.

in newcastle upon tyne, the metro network was brought to a standstill. it is one of the bigger have seen. certainly in terms of the scale and the damage that was caused by the gale force winds, it has been horrendous. it has wiped out the entire system. lner says its customers should not travel north of york today because they are not able to run trains between newcastle and edinburgh. and at gwryck castle in north wales, all the celebrities are out and back in covid isolation. while they wait for technical problems to be repaired. storm arwen knocked out the show“s production base, forcing cancellation of this weekend's planned episodes. as for today, a yellow warning for ice will remain in place until 11 o'clock this morning. it has been issued for northern and eastern scotland, along with much of the north of england. the uk health security agency has

issued a coldweather alert until monday afternoon and is advising people to check—in on older neighbours or relatives, especially those who live alone. greg mckenzie, bbc news. people in honduras are going to the polls in a general election to elect a president and members of the national congress. there“s instability in the central american nation, after the current president, juan orlando hernandez, was named as part of a drug trafficking ring by the us justice department. many analysts fear a repeat of the events of four years ago, when accusations of voter fraud led to violent street protests. our central america correspondent, will grant, reports. it is one of the most closely watched and eagerly anticipated elections in honduras in decades. voters in the impoverished central american nation

have the chance to make their voices heard after some of the toughest years they've ever been through and many expect them to call for change. that could again open the door to the presidential palace to the former first lady, xiomara castro. standing on a platform of democratic socialism, she plans to decriminalise abortion, bring down soaring utility bills and create an anti—corruption commission. "come on, people, let's go together," she said to her supporters as she closed her campaign. urging people to overthrow the dictatorship. specifically she was referring to the country's controversial president, juan orlando hernandez, and his powerful national party. mr hernandez, who many accuse of stealing the last election has been embroiled in a series of corruption scandals, with his brother serving life imprisonment in the united states on drug trafficking charges. although he denies any wrongdoing himself, president hernandez may

need a national party win to protect him from extradition. however, his party's candidate, the mayor of tegucigalpa, nasry asfura, has distanced himself from the tainted leader. translation: | am different | because of my work, my effort, my way of doing things, of doing politics. hondurans have been hit especially hard by the economic downturn from covid and from extreme weather events like the powerful storms eta and iota, which battered the nation last year. as a result, migration to the us has skyrocketed. the vote will be held against that backdrop of deep poverty and exhaustion with the political classes. amid the high security and tension, most hondurans simply hope the vote count is transparent and the result respected by all sides. will grant, bbc news, tegucigalpa. hundreds of environmental protesters in serbia have blocked roads in the capital, belgrade, and several other towns. they“re angry about government plans

to offer the mining giant, rio tinto, the rights to extract lithium in the town of loznitza. lithium is a crucial component of electric car batteries. you are watching bbc news. hello there. after the damage and disruption caused by storm arwen yesterday, today is going to be a much calmer affair with lighter winds but it will stay cold, and despite some autumn sunshine there will also be some wintry showers. this swirl of cloud, that was storm arwen, that has cleared out into the near continent. still, though, our weather coming down from the north so a chilly feel to proceedings and there are plenty of wintry showers around continue to affect eastern coasts of england as we go through the day. one or two across north—east scotland. northern ireland looking fairly bright through the afternoon but this clump of rain, sleet and snow could give someone wintry weather to quite low levels across parts of east wales and the midlands.

during the afternoon temperatures in aberdeen getting up to just two degrees. still one or two showers clipping that east coast of scotland and affecting parts of north—east england as well. these wintry over high ground, yes, but perhaps to relatively low levels. mainly dry and bright for northern ireland. some of those wintry showers affecting east anglia again, to quite low levels. we could see a little bit of snow and a set of wet and wintry weather through parts of the west midlands into wales, that could well give some snow, again to quite low levels. not as windy as it was yesterday, still quite breezy for those eastern course. as we go through this evening and tonight we keep some of those showers for eastern parts of england and it will bring this band of cloud and patchy rain into northern ireland and into western scotland, a bit of snow on the leading edge of that because it is running into some cold air. many of us having a frosty start to monday morning. it will be a milder start to the morning for parts of northern ireland and western scotland because as this band of cloud and patchy rain sinks south—eastwards, and notice a lot of the sneo turning back to rain

notice a lot of the snow turning back to rain through the day, the wind direction will turn round to a westerly and that will bring milder conditions. so by the afternoon belfast, glasgow, stornoway ten degrees. compare that with just four or five for hull, for norwich, and for london. but that's where we will see some of the best of the sunshine through monday afternoon. but it is the milder conditions that will win out as we get on into tuesday. this frontal system will bring some outbreaks of rain, especially to the north—west of the uk. it will be fairly breezy as well but temperatures topping out at around 12 degrees. it will then turn a little cooler again for the middle part of the week. that's all from me for now.

and this is bbc news. i“m ben brown. the headlines: mandatory mask—wearing in shops and on public transport is being reintroduced in england, after two confirmed cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus in the uk. the health secretary's expected to announce more details on restrictions. israel will ban the entry of all foreigners for two weeks to try to prevent the spread of the new omicron variant — one case has so far been confirmed in the country. dozens of people who arrived at amsterdam's schipol airport from south africa on friday have covid—19. dutch health authorities are testing to see if it's the omicron variant. european ministers — minus the uk home secretary priti patel — meet for talks in calais today about how to stop migrants crossing the channel. and weather warnings are still in place in parts of the uk — as the clean—up from storm arwen continues

now the sport.