apologies from the prime minister as he says he shares the anger of people — after a video emerges of downing street staffjoking about holding a christmas gathering last year amidst covid restrictions. this fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced. tough questions for the prime minister over that video — he says he's sickened by it and has been assured that no rules were broken. i can understand how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules, because i was also furious to see that clip. millions of people now think the prime minister

was taking them for fools and that they were lied to. we'll have all the reaction to prime minister's questions as whitehall sources tell the bbc an announcement on tighter coronavirus restrictions could be imminent. also this lunchtime: anyone over a0 in england can now book their coronavirus boosterjab as the rollout for top—ups continues. it comes on the anniversary of the first covid vaccine being given outside a trial — nearly 120 millionjabs have been received in the uk, and eight billion across the world. the new face of germany — olaf scholz is sworn in as chancellor as angela merkel bows out after 16 years in office. a woeful england are bowled out forjust147 on day one of the ashes series. and coming up in sport on the bbc news channel: this mercedes ends its heavily—criticised formula 1 sponsorship deal with kingspan — a company linked to the cladding

on the grenfell tower. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. the prime minister, borisjohnson, has apologised for a video — obtained by itv news — showing his staffjoking about a christmas party last year at number 10 downing street in the middle of a strict coronavirus lockdown. it follows a week of denials from the government that such a party had ever taken place. at the event, guests are reported to have enjoyed cheese and wine, and taken part in a secret santa, being held when london had moved into tier 3 restrictions that meant indoor social gatherings were banned, only six people could meet in outdoor public spaces and the government guidance

specifically stated no work christmas lunch or parties. number 10 has insisted that no party took place — and all rules were followed. it comes as whitehall sources tell the bbc an announcement on tighter coronavirus restrictions could be imminent. 0ur political correspondent, damian grammaticas, reports. cabinet damian grammaticas, reports. ministers this morr it cabinet ministers this morning. is it one rule for downing street and one for the rest of the country? questions but no answers. were you at the party? — questions but no answers. were you at the party? today _ questions but no answers. were you at the party? today they _ questions but no answers. were you at the party? today they were - at the party? today they were decidin: at the party? today they were deciding if _ at the party? today they were deciding if no _ at the party? today they were deciding if no restrictions - at the party? today they were deciding if no restrictions will| at the party? today they were i deciding if no restrictions will be imposed. but it is the video causing crisis. laughterabout imposed. but it is the video causing crisis. laughter about something

which for most is not a laughing matter. we know there was a christmas party. the video is so damaging for borisjohnson because for a week he has defended those and itjust for a week he has defended those and it just as he for a week he has defended those and itjust as he defended matt hancock and dominic cummings and it has left them exposed. members of the public to follow the rules at the time furious and mps as well. his ability to get people to follow new restrictions undermined. have you lied to the public? _ restrictions undermined. have you lied to the public? a _ restrictions undermined. have you lied to the public? a prime - restrictions undermined. have you. lied to the public? a prime minister facin: lied to the public? a prime minister facing questions _ lied to the public? a prime minister facing questions that _ lied to the public? a prime minister facing questions that have - lied to the public? a prime minister facing questions that have turn - lied to the public? a prime minister facing questions that have turn but| facing questions that have turn but he didn't even wait for one before making a statement. i he didn't even wait for one before making a statement.— he didn't even wait for one before making a statement. i can understand how infuriating — making a statement. i can understand how infuriating it _ making a statement. i can understand how infuriating it must _ making a statement. i can understand how infuriating it must be _ making a statement. i can understand how infuriating it must be to - making a statement. i can understand how infuriating it must be to think - how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules because i was also furious to see that clip and i

apologise unreservedly for the offence but it has caused up and down the country and i apologise for the impression that it gets. he announced an internal investigation and said he had been assured there was no party. indie and said he had been assured there was no party-— was no party. we have all watched the video of _ was no party. we have all watched the video of the _ was no party. we have all watched the video of the prime _ was no party. we have all watched the video of the prime minister's l the video of the prime minister's staff including his personal spokesperson. they know there was a partx _ spokesperson. they know there was a party. they _ spokesperson. they know there was a party. they knew it was against the rules _ party. they knew it was against the rules they— party. they knew it was against the rules. they knew they could not admit _ rules. they knew they could not admit it — rules. they knew they could not admit it and they thought it was funny _ admit it and they thought it was funny it — admit it and they thought it was funny it is _ admit it and they thought it was funny. it is obvious what happened. and and _ funny. it is obvious what happened. and and their carahead funny. it is obvious what happened. and and their car ahead of the prime minister_ and and their car ahead of the prime minister or— and and their car ahead of the prime minister or nurse. | and and their car ahead of the prime minister or nurse.— minister or nurse. i had been repeatedly — minister or nurse. i had been repeatedly assured _ minister or nurse. i had been repeatedly assured that - minister or nurse. i had been repeatedly assured that the i minister or nurse. i had been - repeatedly assured that the rules were not broken. the repeatedly assured that the rules were not broken.— repeatedly assured that the rules were not broken. the queen marked the passing — were not broken. the queen marked the passing of _ were not broken. the queen marked the passing of the _ were not broken. the queen marked the passing of the man _ were not broken. the queen marked the passing of the man she - were not broken. the queen marked the passing of the man she had - were not broken. the queen marked| the passing of the man she had been married _ the passing of the man she had been married to _ the passing of the man she had been married to for 73 years. leadership, sacrifice, _

married to for 73 years. leadership, sacrifice, that is what gives leaders _ sacrifice, that is what gives leaders the moral authority to lead. does the _ leaders the moral authority to lead. does the prime minister think he has the moral— does the prime minister think he has the moral authority to lead and to ask the _ the moral authority to lead and to ask the british people to stick to the rules? — ask the british people to stick to the rules? ., ., , ., , the rules? not only that, but the labour party _ the rules? not only that, but the labour party have _ the rules? not only that, but the labour party have played - the rules? not only that, but the labour party have played politicsj labour party have played politics throughout this pandemic. there was even a call for _ throughout this pandemic. there was even a call for the prime _ throughout this pandemic. there was even a call for the prime minister - even a call for the prime minister to go. even a call for the prime minister to no. ., , ., ., ., to go. the only right and moral choice left _ to go. the only right and moral choice left him _ to go. the only right and moral choice left him as _ to go. the only right and moral choice left him as for— to go. the only right and moral choice left him as for his - choice left him as for his resignation. when can we expect it? a party opposite and indeed the other— a party opposite and indeed the other party opposite are going to continue — other party opposite are going to continue to play politics and i am going _ continue to play politics and i am going to — continue to play politics and i am going to get on with the job. damian grammaticas, bbc news. the emergence of the mock press conference video last night followed days of questions about the event that took place in downing street last december.

our correspondent, tim muffett, has been looking at the reaction to the leaked footage. political stories sometimes slip by unnoticed. ~ ., political stories sometimes slip by unnoticed. ~ . ., , ., unnoticed. what about this one? the government — unnoticed. what about this one? the government has _ unnoticed. what about this one? the government has set _ unnoticed. what about this one? the government has set out _ unnoticed. what about this one? the government has set out guidelines . government has set out guidelines under lockdown for them to go and have a christmas party and when questioned about it business meeting she is stuttering. this is the prime minister's spokesperson talking. i work in construction and i go through problems on a daily basis where i have to follow these guidelines and they have been having a whale of a time. i am guidelines and they have been having a whale of a time.— a whale of a time. i am not very interested _ a whale of a time. i am not very interested in _ a whale of a time. i am not very interested in it. _ a whale of a time. i am not very interested in it. i— a whale of a time. i am not very interested in it. ijust _ a whale of a time. i am not very interested in it. i just want - a whale of a time. i am not very interested in it. i just want to i a whale of a time. i am not very. interested in it. i just want to get interested in it. ijust want to get on with— interested in it. ijust want to get on with my— interested in it. ijust want to get on with my life. i am not interested in what _ on with my life. i am not interested in what happened to year ago. it is a bad example _ in what happened to year ago. it is a bad example of government but they are humans, _ a bad example of government but they are humans, they— a bad example of government but they are humans, they won't _ a bad example of government but they are humans, they won't be _ a bad example of government but they are humans, they won't be alone. - are humans, they won't be alone. many— are humans, they won't be alone. many of— are humans, they won't be alone. many of the — are humans, they won't be alone. many of the day's— are humans, they won't be alone. many of the day's front _ are humans, they won't be alone. many of the day's front pages - are humans, they won't be alone. i many of the day's front pages make for pretty awkward pleading for the government and amongst some who love lost once there is barely concealed fever. sarah lost her mother and

brother to covid.— fever. sarah lost her mother and brother to covid. seeing this video is utterly sickening _ brother to covid. seeing this video is utterly sickening and _ brother to covid. seeing this video is utterly sickening and it - brother to covid. seeing this video is utterly sickening and it makes . brother to covid. seeing this video i is utterly sickening and it makes me feel so angry and upset over and above the upset we have already gone through, we and many, many thousands of families across the country. it is just despicable and unforgivable. by is just despicable and unforgivable. by the time she stated that podium and left _ by the time she stated that podium and left her way through that my dad had a _ and left her way through that my dad had a mask— and left her way through that my dad had a mask put onto his face and the following _ had a mask put onto his face and the following five days he deteriorated and died _ following five days he deteriorated and died on the 28th of december. as well as and died on the 28th of december. well as anger and died on the 28th of december. is well as anger there has also been mockery of the government's response. mockery of the government's response-— mockery of the government's response. mockery of the government's resonse. , ., ., ., , response. they did not have a party. they categorically — response. they did not have a party. they categorically deny _ response. they did not have a party. they categorically deny any - they categorically deny any suggestion is that they had a party. this fictional party definitely did not involve cheese and wine or a secret santa.—

secret santa. evening, prime minister! _ secret santa. evening, prime minister! for _ secret santa. evening, prime minister! for now! _ secret santa. evening, prime minister! for now! with - secret santa. evening, prime i minister! for now! with ongoing concern about _ minister! for now! with ongoing concern about the _ minister! for now! with ongoing concern about the variant - minister! for now! with ongoing concern about the variant there | minister! for now! with ongoing l concern about the variant there is the possibility we could face more covid restrictions over the coming weeks and months. the big question is whether frustration about this story could affect people's willingness to obey any new rules. i think it is disgusting. i cannot believe that the government is expecting people to follow rules that it expecting people to follow rules thatitis expecting people to follow rules that it is not willing to follow itself. i5 that it is not willing to follow itself. , ., ., that it is not willing to follow itself. , . . , ., , itself. is there a danger people will not follow _ itself. is there a danger people will not follow rules _ itself. is there a danger people will not follow rules if - itself. is there a danger people will not follow rules if new - will not follow rules if new rules are broken?— will not follow rules if new rules are broken? ., , ., ., ., , are broken? people who do what they think is best — are broken? people who do what they think is best for _ are broken? people who do what they think is best for themselves. - are broken? people who do what they think is best for themselves. wasn't l think is best for themselves. wasn't technically a — think is best for themselves. wasn't technically a party — think is best for themselves. wasn't technically a party in _ think is best for themselves. wasn't technically a party in downing - technically a party in downing street or not? either way it has left the government with an almighty hangover. tim muffett, bbc news. 0ur political correspondent, jonathan blake, is in parliament. there's been no let—up on the pressure on the pm today over the christmas party.

no, and there was huge anticipation and expectation about what the prime minister would have to say at prime minister's questions this lunchtime as many conservative mps, exasperated and infuriated that these latest revelations, sat silently and glum faced behind him. the prime minister was left with little choice but to say something beyond what he has done already which is to dismiss in a pretty cursory manner any questions about that party that did or did not take place in downing street before christmas last year. we had a change of tone and the change of tack. he said he understood the indignation that people felt seeing that footage. he shared the anger as well and he announced that investigation by the cabinet secretary into exactly what had happened and said disciplinary action would follow if necessary but he again said that he

was assured and is still assured that no rules were broken and there was no party so he will hope that that investigation contains the controversy for now, but it gets himself and an answer when they faced repeated questions on this. we are told that investigation will be reporting as quickly as possible. there will be huge pressure to make the findings public and i would expect in the meantime that keir starmer and the labour party and others will keep the pressure on the prime minister over this. keir starmer accusing borisjohnson of starmer accusing boris johnson of taking starmer accusing borisjohnson of taking the public for fools. there are suggestions _ taking the public for fools. there are suggestions covid _ taking the public for fools. there are suggestions covid restrictions could be strengthened again. we are exectin: could be strengthened again. we are expecting an — could be strengthened again. we are expecting an announcement - could be strengthened again. we are expecting an announcement possibly as soon as this afternoon this evening. cabinet meeting later chaired by the prime minister to sign off on further restrictions possibly being imposed. 0ptions, plan b is more face masks and other

settings, working from home possibly covid passports being used as well. one tory mp accusing the prime 0ne tory mp accusing the prime minister openly today of a diversionary tactic.- minister openly today of a diversionary tactic. the covid booster programme in england has been expanded again. anyone in theirforties can now book their third jab, three months after their second dose. the announcement comes exactly a year after margaret keenan, a 90—year—old grandmother, became the first person in the world to be given a coronavirus vaccine outside of a clinical trial. our health correspondent, catherine burns, reports from coventry — a warning that this report has some flashing images. this is how the biggest vaccine roll—out in history started, exactly a year ago. maggie keenan getting herfirst, and a world firstjab from matron may parsons. and now, back together where it all began. although the two of them have built up a genuine friendship over the year. we are now a tandem, we are now called maggie may! i'm so happy.

i'm so happy i got the jab and it has been a wonderful year, really. maggie was number one of many. over 8 billionjabs around the world. in the uk, more than 180 million doses have been given. and almost 21 million people are on the third or boosterjab. we've all got used to sites like this over the last 12 months. people turning up, rolling up their sleeves, and getting their jab. now at that time one in every 70 covid cases ended in death. that has now fallen to one in every 290. we are testing more, but still it gives you a sense of what a real game changer vaccines have been. in the january peak, they had about 270 covid patients here. that has now fallen to around 35. most of them have not had their vaccine. the patients that we are getting in my covid wards are mainly the ones that are really, really poorly, with no medical histories, are young and fit. and unvaccinated.

and we have also had a lot of pregnant women coming into my ward that have come in really poorly. because they are also unvaccinated. we are in a constant race. 0ur vaccines against the virus. and now we are up against a new hurdle, the 0micron variant. we are almost certain it is going to be more transmissible, so it spreads more easily. but it is still early yet to know whether the vaccines will be impacted and to know whether it has any difference in terms of the severity of illness it causes. but what is really important is that even if there is a drop off in the way the vaccines work, the way that can be countered is by getting the booster dose. from today almost 7 million over 40s in england will be able to bring theirjabs forward to three months. but there are warnings too that extra measures like working from home could be brought in. and catherinejoins us from coventry now. we are in a very different place than we were last year — to what extent have the vaccines

changed the course of the pandemic? here we are in the exact same hospital where it began a year ago. i was there that day and i remember reporting on it and it felt like a really momentous occasion after such a grim year. after maggie came a steady stream of elderly people coming to get their protection, many dressed up in their sunday best. just a few hundred metres away we are in the same hospital in the vaccination clinic, a portakabin in the car park, but the operation as there is none. all day people have been turning up, getting there jabs, having a few minutes of rest and getting about their day. in terms of the pandemic we are in a really different place now. before vaccines the only immunity people had was that they had been infected. now almost 90% of people who can have a vaccine have turned up for their first dose. if you want one

statistic on the real—world impact of that, we are now seeing four times fewer covid deaths for every case compared to the time before vaccines. �* .,. case compared to the time before vaccines. �* .. . ., vaccines. and enacting evidence that the vaccines — vaccines. and enacting evidence that the vaccines are _ vaccines. and enacting evidence that the vaccines are offering _ vaccines. and enacting evidence that the vaccines are offering greater - the vaccines are offering greater protection. the vaccines are offering greater protection-— the vaccines are offering greater rotection. , ., ., , ~ protection. any new variant is like a 'i . saw protection. any new variant is like a jigsaw piece _ protection. any new variant is like a jigsaw piece when _ protection. any new variant is like a jigsaw piece when you _ protection. any new variant is like a jigsaw piece when you throw- protection. any new variant is like a jigsaw piece when you throw the pieces in the air and slowly pieced together the reality. today we had from pfizer and biontech about how well or not they think vaccines will work against the variant. to some extent this is expected and they are saying that with two doses they are saying that with two doses they are saying that with two doses they are saying that there is a big dip and how effectively it fights it but with three doses they think those protection levels are rising back up and echoes other evidence that we hear from south africa. and echoes other evidence that we hearfrom south africa. it and echoes other evidence that we hear from south africa. it all points in one direction, if you can get your booster dose than do. thank

ou ve get your booster dose than do. thank you very much- _ a former city regulator, lord tyrie, has described the market for covid pcr tests as a "rip—off jungle" and warned that poor service was still widespread. the government says it monitors complaints and takes swift action when needed, but travellers say the official website has been advertising tests at prices which have been difficult to obtain. after 16 years in power, angela merkel has been replaced as germany's chancellor. mrs merkel has been credited with raising germany's profile and influence, and being a role model for women in politics. her successor, social—democrat 0laf scholz, has served as vice—chancellor and finance minister since march 2018. 0ur berlin correspondent, damien mcguinness, reports. frau dr angela merkel... after 16 years in office, angela merkel is no longer germany's leader. she is the first chancellor in modern germany to voluntarily give up power. it is the end of one era

in the beginning of another. calm, fact—driven and seemingly unflappable... germany's new chancellor, 0laf scholz, is similar in style to angela merkel but unlike mrs merkel, he is not a conservative. for the first time in more than a decade and a half, germany is getting a left—wing chancellor. he says he will bring in a fairer society, a higher minimum wage, a lower voting age, and more rights for minorities. angela merkel has cleared out her desk in the chancellor's office, all ready for the new chancellor, 0laf scholz, to move in. but there is little time for him to celebrate. germany is facing huge challenges. most importantly among them, the pandemic. it is being described here as a national crisis. germany is seeing record high infection rates. restrictions mean that unvaccinated people are now excluded from most leisure activities. and they have to get a daily test to go to work

or use public transport. next year germany could also introduce what politician said would never happen. a compulsory covid vaccine. there are fears this could spark further protests and divide society. there are also difficult foreign policy questions including how to deal with russia and china. germany's new leaders say this is a fresh start to modernise the country. given the tough challenges ahead, they will need to hang on to that optimism. damienjoins us from the german capital now. what style of leadership should we expect? i think superficially very similar to angela merkel. he is seen as

having similar personality. he is a good deal maker and very experienced, used to bring different parties together which he will need given he has quite an unusual 3—way coalition that he must manage. he is also a centrist very much like angela merkel so in many ways he follows on from her. one reason why it is popular is because angela merkel was popular and german voters appreciated her calm style especially given the amount of crises that we've seen throughout her16 crises that we've seen throughout her 16 years in power. and of course going forward germany is also facing a lot of crisis notably also the pandemic right now. that appeals to voters but of course they are from different parties. what 0laf scholz promises is quite a left—wing agenda to fight social injustice and help people at the bottom of the scale when it comes to poverty. he is also leading a very different type of coalition with the greens commit the

business friendly liberals and what we're going to see a modernising germany as he says he was to digitise the country and help people really get germany moving after 16 years of what some people would say has been quite a conservative backward —looking country, the new government says it wants to look forward and take germany into the future. ., ~ forward and take germany into the future. ., ,, , ., our top story this lunchtime. borisjohnson has apologised at prime minister's questions for a video that shows number 10 staff "seeming to make light of lockdown measures" and says he's asked for an investigation. and good things come in little packages — we meet the artist who says his autism helps his art. and coming up on sport in the bbc news channel. action from the gabba where it was the same old story for england, bowled out for 147 by australia on the opening day of the first ashes test in brisbane.

a mobile phone signal and access to high speed broadband is something that most of us take for granted, but in rural areas across the uk it's something that many can only dream of. the rise of home—working and distance—learning during the pandemic has put even more pressure on communities already struggling with connectivity. our correspondent, danny savage, reports from coverdale in north yorkshire. in this picturesque part of yorkshire, the quality of life is rich. but technologically, it is poor. it is a problem. we have a lot of complaints from customers. at this smart restaurant and wedding venue, they struggle with one modern facility nearly everyone expects. there is no mobile phone signal. probably the biggest reaction is a walk—out. somebody had booked a cottage for a whole weekend, they were up here, they were also doing work as well as wanting to phone their loved ones, and theyjust couldn't do it. so they just sort of threw the keys and left, unfortunately. nothing at all. here, to get a mobile phone

signal, leo has to drive to the top of a nearby hill. the problem is i might be doing this for five times a day, and especially now with the new things about the banks where you have to get a text message and come out and everything. it's becoming a lot more often. and this isn't a small not—spot for phone signal, it lasts for more than 12 miles. which can take about a0 minutes driving down these country lanes. visiting and need to make a call? well, then you might need one of these. but things are about to change. a 5g mast will soon be switched on, giving wireless broadband to the homes scattered through this dale. how slow is the broadband? very slow! sarah tries to work from home online. a 5g signal will make a huge difference. it is infuriating. we pay the same amount as people in cities, and we get an absolutely terrible service. we live in a beautiful place, but it's very difficult to work in that beautiful place with the speeds that we have. her partner tim will get a mobile 5g

receiver so he can get coverage outside, too. immediately improving farm safety. if there is an accident, it's extra minutes, isn't it, to try and get emergency services here. we would have to run down home or take a vehicle down home and ring from the house. and you know, time is lives, isn't it? i can't enjoy what other people enjoy and take for granted. sam is 22. he hopes better connectivity will see people stay and live here. it probably would influence, maybe not young people, but families, to move back. and that would have a knock—on effect and make their children hopefully stay in the dale and start their own business, or want to work from home like i want to do. after the imminent 5g switch on, mobile phone coverage is planned to follow bringing this ancient dale into the 21st century. danny savage, bbc news, coverdale. the prime minister has said

there will effectively be a "diplomatic boycott" of the beijing winter olympics as no ministers are attending — but that he disagrees with sporting boycotts in principle. borisjohnson was speaking after australia joined the united states' diplomatic boycott of next year's games, confirming that it will not send officials or politicians to the games. china has criticised the diplomatic boycott and has threatened to retaliate. the mercedes formula 1 team's sponsorship deal with kingspan, a firm that made insulation material involved in the grenfell tower disaster, has ended a week after it was announced. the f1 team were heavily criticised over the deal, with survivors of thejune 2017 tragedy describing it as "truly shocking". the grenfell united campaign group welcomed today's news saying it proved "people can be put before profit". the artist willard wigan is best known for creating tiny works of art, often displayed in the eye of a needle

or on the head of a pin. they are so minute that they can only been seen through a miscroscope. during a motivational talk for school children, willard described his autism as a blessing and said it had inspired his success. joanne writtle was watching. you know, there's a saying, the best things come in small packages. little things mean a lot. willard wigan has become world famous for his minuscule works of art which can sit in the head of a needle. even the queen has a tiny crown at buckingham palace. but what many people don't know is that he is autistic and it is something he spoke to children at saint george's school, edgbaston, about. scientists can't explain my work. they say, oh, it's impossible. how can a human being do this? how can a human being do that? the world needs to understand that autism hasn't been properly uncovered. they have only uncovered some of it. i was quite surprised because of what he has come from. i have autism too, i was surprised that he still kept on going.

he made me feel like i could do more than i think i could. _ because he has overcome quite a lot and as someone who has _ dyslexia, i know what it's like to face hard things. i so now it made me feel like i can actually overcome problems. - willard was brought up in wolverhampton and now lives in birmingham. his autism wasn't diagnosed until he was 50, but his late mum zetta recognised his difference and remains his inspiration to this day. one time i carved a little bird perched on the point of a toothpick. she said, it's too big. so, you know, then i started to say to myself, well, if i don't make it real small, my mum won't appreciate it. my mum would always say the diamond is in the dustbin, meaning people would throw them into a bin and not realise what is in there until they take the lid off and realise they have thrown a diamond in there. and that is what autistic people are, they are diamonds. the techniques he uses are fascinating. he also has a photographic memory. to create this type of artwork,

i have to slow down my breathing. i have to work in between my heartbeat. i have to make sure the pulse on my finger doesn't cause any problem. because when you are working on this microscopic level you have external forces that interfere with your work. i have to avoid that by working at night to avoid any traffic vibration or anything like that. it's like trying to put a pin through a bubble without bursting the bubble. willard's works, ranging from a dragon to the boxer tyson fury, can be seen at birmingham contemporary art gallery. the exhibition here opened four months ago and is now on permanent display. willard's described it as his gift to his home city. joanne writtle, bbc news. cricket and england have had an abysmal start to this year's ashes series against australia in brisbane. they won the toss and chose to bat but were bowled out for 147. rory burns became only the second player in ashes history to be out to the first ball of the series. joe wilson reports. # we are the army!

# the barmy army! #. no travelling fans permitted in australia, but if you were brave enough to support england and live in brisbane, well, hurry to your seats. you might miss it. the ashes start. and rory burns. 0uch. yes, that was the first ball of the series, and it sure set the tone. david malan departed with england's score 11, so england's captain was in. england rely onjoe root. hundreds he made? nought. australia's new captain pat cummins got rid of ben stokes. and straight after lunch, haseeb hameed, who had at least defied for 25. but now watch this. the ball suddenly flying to the boundary atjos buttler pace. he had a partnership with 0llie pope, and in the crowd, appreciation. for the neutral supporter, at least it was getting competitive. for a bit. there was jos buttler gone for 39.

england were all out forjust 147 after a fine catch. another one. a wicket for pat cummins, another one. his fifth in fact. australia's captain walked off in a perfect world, from start to tea, his side had dominated. it's a dream start, really. really proud of how consistent everyone was. composed. so happy for starkey. he's just got a real knack of picking up a wicket in the first couple of overs. and just a really good start. the weather ruled out the final session. england's bowlers with neither anderson nor broad selected, must be outstanding to stop the whole match slipping away on the second day. joe wilson, bbc news. time for a look at the weather. here's louise lear. some people hoping for a respite from storms! the storm is