should politics. i don't think we should necessarily be going down that road. you looked as if you agree with that, john, you are not away at one point. i that, john, you are not away at one oint. ~ that, john, you are not away at one oint, ~' a, , that, john, you are not away at one oint. ~' a, , , a, point. i think actually listen to the quotes — point. i think actually listen to the quotes and _ point. i think actually listen to the quotes and he _ point. i think actually listen to the quotes and he was - point. i think actually listen to the quotes and he was very i point. i think actually listen to - the quotes and he was very careful not to— the quotes and he was very careful not to weigh in on specifics. all this comments were kind of put in very general terms when he was asked about_ very general terms when he was asked about very— very general terms when he was asked about very specific things about borisjohnson in particular. he did kind of— borisjohnson in particular. he did kind of shy— borisjohnson in particular. he did kind of shy away from doing that but i think_ kind of shy away from doing that but i think he _ kind of shy away from doing that but i think he has been quite careful in this intervention and talks in generalities about leadership in general— generalities about leadership in general and about the parties in general— general and about the parties in general rather than taking a specific— general rather than taking a specific view on a specific party. second — specific view on a specific party. second story on the front page of the telegraph or us is what has been described as a teacher's army of retired staff to help keep schools open next term. this is a campaign for children. it’s open next term. this is a campaign for children-— for children. it's hard to fathom what effect _ for children. it's hard to fathom what effect this _

for children. it's hard to fathom what effect this teacher's - for children. it's hard to fathom what effect this teacher's are i what effect this teacher's are making this retired staff call up is going to have both the thing about school, obviously i think we can all agree that it's paramount to keep schools open. we also how much the children suffered by having the closed and having teaching online, albeit the teachers just did an incrediblejob albeit the teachers just did an incredible job throughout those lockdowns. but i think it's interesting that the government has never really put much weight behind helping to put in the measures that would enable schools to stay open. so it's really only had this group of cursory interest in things like ventilation, and helping schools get ventilation, and helping schools get ventilation and helping schools get the equipment that would enable them for ventilation and to have larger buildings so that they are safer distancing. one is incredibly with respect going out to the tired

teachers who are coming up in this endeavour. it really is a much different kind of intervention that's required and the government i think really has been largely absent in that field. it is think really has been largely absent in that field-— in that field. it is and see how many teachers _ in that field. it is and see how many teachers to _ in that field. it is and see how many teachers to answer - in that field. it is and see how many teachers to answer this | in that field. it is and see how - many teachers to answer this call, won't it, john? j many teachers to answer this call, won't it. john?— many teachers to answer this call, won't it, john? i have put my hands if he not won't it, john? i have put my hands if he got nothing — won't it, john? i have put my hands if he got nothing of _ won't it, john? i have put my hands if he got nothing of a _ won't it, john? i have put my hands if he got nothing of a teacher- won't it, john? i have put my hands if he got nothing of a teacher but i i if he got nothing of a teacher but i am in no _ if he got nothing of a teacher but i am in no rush to get back to the classroom _ am in no rush to get back to the classroom. the consequence of omicron — classroom. the consequence of omicron and it's spreading so quickly— omicron and it's spreading so quickly is _ omicron and it's spreading so quickly is a lot of people seem to be getting it in a short period of time _ be getting it in a short period of time. there's worries in the health service, _ time. there's worries in the health service, in schools and you are going — service, in schools and you are going to — service, in schools and you are going to ends up with loads of doctors — going to ends up with loads of doctors and nurses off work at same time, _ doctors and nurses off work at same time, loads— doctors and nurses off work at same time, loads of teachers offered the same _ time, loads of teachers offered the same time — time, loads of teachers offered the same time so this seems like quite a sensible _ same time so this seems like quite a sensible thing to get people back into the _ sensible thing to get people back into the classroom. but whether you manage _ into the classroom. but whether you manage to _ into the classroom. but whether you manage to get enough teachers back quick enough is i think a bit of a hard _ quick enough is i think a bit of a hard one — quick enough is i think a bit of a

hard one-— quick enough is i think a bit of a hard one. ~ , , . . . hard one. absolutely. the financial times with our _ hard one. absolutely. the financial times with our final _ hard one. absolutely. the financial times with our final paper - hard one. absolutely. the financial times with our final paper and i hard one. absolutely. the financial times with our final paper and the l times with our final paper and the gates are closing. in times with our final paper and the gates are closing.— gates are closing. in france, yes. so, gates are closing. in france, yes. 50. france _ gates are closing. in france, yes. so, france has _ gates are closing. in france, yes. so, france has today _ gates are closing. in france, yes. so, france has today announced l gates are closing. in france, yes. i so, france has today announced that the gates are closing to arrivals from the uk except in exceptional circumstances and that's because france has looked across the water at our surging infection rate and we have now got the highest rate since the pandemic began, which is quite staggering we think about what we have been through up until now. i suspect that this seems a like a sort of populist token move. the omicron is going to be or the scientists are saying at least everywhere in the world. there is not a culture that won't have it because of its accidental growth and i don't think that closing borders is a particularly effective measure at this stage. so it does seem, from

this side of the channel, it does seem like a preventative measure and i'm sure there are other measures that france and the uk could be putting in place it might be more effective. i putting in place it might be more effective. , , . , putting in place it might be more effective. , . , , effective. i suppose many people around there _ effective. i suppose many people around there will— effective. i suppose many people around there will be _ effective. i suppose many people around there will be watching i effective. i suppose many people around there will be watching to l effective. i suppose many people i around there will be watching to see what america does as well on this, john. in what america does as well on this, john. . , , ., , what america does as well on this, john. . , , .,, ., john. in many people worried in the riaht to john. in many people worried in the right to christmas _ john. in many people worried in the right to christmas that _ john. in many people worried in the right to christmas that not - john. in many people worried in the right to christmas that not people l right to christmas that not people going _ right to christmas that not people going on— right to christmas that not people going on holiday but people returning home of people going to see family members they have not seen in _ see family members they have not seen in ages but i agree with rachel and i'm _ seen in ages but i agree with rachel and i'm not— seen in ages but i agree with rachel and i'm not quite sure what effect this is— and i'm not quite sure what effect this is going to have. once omicron is in your— this is going to have. once omicron is in your country, it seems a bit pointless to _ is in your country, it seems a bit pointless to shut down your borders. like we _ pointless to shut down your borders. like we said — pointless to shut down your borders. like we said many times today even, the true numbers of omicron are not actually actually every instance. so john, deputy political editor at the delete mail, and the author and journalist rachel, i hope you'll forgive me and thank you very much and i will see you again at 11:30pm. see you again. oh, dear. and

hopefully i will see you again shortly. goodbye for now, though. good evening. this is your update from the bbc sports centre. liverpool shrugged off missing three players due to positive covid tests to beat newcastle 3—1 this evening and move a point behind premier league leaders manchester city. newcastle took a surprise lead thanks tojonjo shelvey�*s long—distance strike which found its way through, shelvey scoring against his former club. it wasn't long before liverpool hit back, diogojota putting them level. and four minutes later, who else but mo salah put them 2—1 up. and how about this for an early christmas cracker from trent alexander—arnold! no stopping that one as liverpool cruised to a comfortable victory, keeping the pressure up at the top while newcastle remain second from bottom.

it's more points dropped for chelsea this evening. they were held to a 1—1 draw with everton at stamford bridge. mason mount gave them a second—half lead. everton's jarrad branthwaite equalised soon after in a match where they had few chances. chelsea stay third, but lose ground on liverpool in second. so, a frustrating night for chelsea's men and a hugely disappointing one for their women. they've missed out on the champions league knockout stage after going down 4—0 at wolfsburg. it was a miserable evening for emma hayes' side. svenja huth scored twice inside 23 minutes, and then tabea wassmuth added two more after half—time to knock chelsea out. juventus beat swiss side servette 4—0 to join wolfsburg in the quarterfinals. the spread of the omicron covid variant has caused havoc with the premier league's fixtures. numerous clubs are reporting increased infections among players. leicester city's game with tottenham this evening and manchester united's match with brighton on saturday were called off earlier today. saturday's games at southampton,

watford and west ham have also been postponed, along with everton's match with leicester on sunday. we are to be sure that the product or if the health of the people. so we can be an example for a lot people because the viruses there and it's spreading very quickly so we have to be sure that if we have to protect people and what that has to be the priority. a quarter of all players in the efl don't intend to get vaccinated, according to data released by the english football league, who've increased protocols at training grounds to limit the spread of the virus. five matches in the championship on saturday are now off. it again raises the issue of vaccine hesitancy within the professional game. that news comes on the day when uefa president aleksander ceferin has urged players across europe to get vaccinated as soon as possible. we should promote the vaccination, and we will. we already started to do it, but we don't have the power

to force anyone to be vaccinated. but the promotion goes today and the video by my modest opinion is very good because there are only doctors speaking in the video and they explain from their point of view why vaccination is so important. and the draw has been made for next year's nations league. it's a complicated format, so let's just show you how the home nations came out. england have been placed in a tough group. european champions italy, who beat them on penalties in the euro final this summer, germany and hungary make up the four. wales have been drawn with poland, belgium and the netherlands. both england and wales would need to top their group to qualify for the semifinals. scotland face the republic of ireland, armenia and ukraine. and northern ireland will play greece, kosovo and one of cyprus or estonia. england will be hoping for an improved performance when the second ashes test resumes at 4am our time tomorrow morning. australia will start day two on 221—2. marnus labuschagne is 95 not out, with steve smith, captaining the side in place of pat cummins,

unbeaten on 18. england will be rueing several missed chances, and their assistant coach graham thorpe has admitted it'll be tough now for his side. we had to try to make inroads early. if you won the toss in a pink ball game and adelaide, you get control and get longevity in your first innings was a challenge for us going forward but we have to fight hard. 220-2 forward but we have to fight hard. 220—2 on day one, australia have won the first day. but we have got to roll our sleeves up and show some fight. well, our cricket reporter henry moeran is in adelaide. he's been speaking to former english fast—bowler steven finn, who sastoe root�*s side shouldn't give up yet, although they have work to do. it was a day england rather feared might happen when australia won the toss and piled on the runs. england dropped chances compounding

the misery and is now surely meaning this is australia's game to control. steve finn, an ashes winner down here down under ten years ago is alongside me and it was a frustrating day for england, not least because of those dropped opportunities. i think they will look i back on it now as a day of missed opportunities. i thought they controlled the scoring rate well- throughout the day. i thought both sides- actually show discipline, but i think given the state i of the scoreboard now having lost two wickets, you would say that it was very much _ australia's day. it is only 221— for two so there is still hope — it is only 221— for two so there is still hope there _ it is only 221— for two so there is still hope there for— it is only 221— for two so there is still hope there for england i it is only 221— for two so there is still hope there for england butl it is only 221— for two so there isi still hope there for england but it does _ still hope there for england but it does make — still hope there for england but it does make the _ still hope there for england but it does make the first _ still hope there for england but it does make the first session - still hope there for england but it i does make the first session tomorrow morning _ does make the first session tomorrow morning as_ does make the first session tomorrow morninu. �* , ., does make the first session tomorrow morninu. . , . .,, ._ morning. a frustrating opening day here at the oval— morning. a frustrating opening day here at the oval and _ morning. a frustrating opening day here at the oval and a _ morning. a frustrating opening day here at the oval and a hope -

morning. a frustrating opening day here at the oval and a hope for- here at the oval and a hope for england — here at the oval and a hope for england is a can get those early wickets — england is a can get those early wickets to— england is a can get those early wickets to swing them in a back there _ wickets to swing them in a back there way~ _ and that's all the sport for now. thursday brought an east—west split to the uk weather—wise. well, certainly in terms of where we had the blue sky or where we had the grey sky. across parts of eastern scotland and down the eastern side of england, some were treated to a largely sunny day from dawn until dusk, where it was the reverse across some western areas. a view from wales, cloudy from dawn until dusk. it's the cloud that's going to win out for friday and the weekend. high pressure, lots of settled weather to come, but trapped

underneath this high pressure, plenty of cloud. now, where there will have been some clear spells overnight — parts of eastern scotland, northeast england — the east midlands and east anglia. some dense patches in places, perhaps affecting travel, and some may lingerfor much of the day in a few spots. you get the idea for the forecast, though, for friday with lots of cloud around. the cloud thick enough to produce a bit of drizzle here and there. breezy with it through the channel islands into parts of south west england, south wales. through here, though, there could be a few sunny spells, as there will be towards parts of scotland and again north east england. temperatures on a par with thursday, although just tending to go a little bit lower, and that's a trend that continues through the weekend. friday night into saturday morning, a lot of cloud around, some mist and fog. again, the clearest skies in scotland, so this is where we're most likely to get a frost as the weekend begins, but there could be a few pockets, too, towards north east england. with that area of high pressure i showed you earlier, a lot of settled weather over the weekend. a lot of cloud, it'll be mainly dry and again temperatures just starting to edge down a few degrees over the weekend. and still quite breezy on saturday through the english channel, channel islands, far south west of england. could be a few brighter breaks

here as there may be towards the far west of wales, more particularly into scotland. elsewhere, a good deal of cloud, fewer temperatures in double figures at this stage, it's mid to high single figures. and plenty of cloud around again on sunday, could be drizzly in a few spots, but there's also a chance of seeing one or two brighter breaks here and there. now, for the most part, temperatures in single figures. it will brighten up into next week, but the trend is for things to turn even colder as we go through the rest of the week in the lead—up to christmas. apart from that, what exactly is on our way christmas weather—wise, remains to be seen.

turn cooler over the weekend. welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. as governments around the globe brace for the omicron effect, britain sets a record for new covid infections for the second day in a row. in the united states president biden warns the public to protect themselves against the new variant or face the consequences. it's here now and it's spreading and is going to increase. for unvaccinated we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death for unvaccinated. also in the programme — a gang in haiti — releases 12 hostages working for an american missionary group —

more than two months