hello, this is bbc news. the headlines. another 90,000 covid cases are reported across the uk as the mayor of london declares a major incident. it's really important londoners understand how serious things are. the best thing londoners can do is to get both vaccines and the booster, they provide extra layers of protection. the netherlands will go into a new lockdown from sunday to try to limit the spread of the 0micron variant. the 0micron variant has now spread to at least 89 countries. the world health organization says cases are doubling worldwide every three days. british holidaymakers are forced to cancel trips as france imposes

tight travel restrictions on those arriving from the uk. a frantic search for survivors is under way in the philippines after at least 31 people are killed by typhoon rai. retailers are hoping for a last—minute surge of shoppers on the last weekend before christmas. however, figures released this afternoon suggest footfall on the high streets is down almost 2% on last saturday because of fears about the 0micron variant. here's our business correspondent caroline davies. it's the weekend before christmas, the crescendo of present shopping. worries about 0micron dampening buying? worries about omicron dampening bu in ? , ., , , worries about omicron dampening bu in? , ,., worries about omicron dampening buinu? , worries about omicron dampening buin? , , ., buying? droplets are selling but not necessarily in _ buying? droplets are selling but not necessarily in the _ buying? droplets are selling but not

necessarily in the shop. _ buying? droplets are selling but not necessarily in the shop. the - necessarily in the shop. the footfall is massively down, on is kind of covering back. —— chocolates are selling. that increases expenses, postage, boxes, that kind of stuff. and you lose the personal touch with people, which for me is crucial for my business.— touch with people, which for me is crucial for my business. during the week, the number _ crucial for my business. during the week, the number of _ crucial for my business. during the week, the number of people - crucial for my business. during the . week, the number of people shopping in city centres dropped off but local high streets and shopping centres were slightly up, as more people work from home. early figures today show retail visits across the uk were down 1.8% on last saturday. in central london, a tube strike made it difficult but many were happy to hit the shops. it’s made it difficult but many were happy to hit the shops.- happy to hit the shops. it's not busy today _ happy to hit the shops. it's not busy today at all. _ happy to hit the shops. it's not busy today at all. we have - happy to hit the shops. it's not busy today at all. we have just happy to hit the shops. it's not - busy today at all. we have just had covid so we are safe, but i don't think i would come any other day. it's fine. it's something to keep in mind, _ it's fine. it's something to keep in mind, but— it's fine. it's something to keep in mind, but still doing christmas

shopping, don't let it stop you. just keeping a mask on and using a lot of— just keeping a mask on and using a lot of hand — just keeping a mask on and using a lot of hand sanitiser. _ just keeping a mask on and using a lot of hand sanitiser. just— just keeping a mask on and using a lot of hand sanitiser.— lot of hand sanitiser. just keep ourself lot of hand sanitiser. just keep yourself a. _ lot of hand sanitiser. just keep yourself a, use _ lot of hand sanitiser. just keep yourself a, use common - lot of hand sanitiser. just keep| yourself a, use common sense. lot of hand sanitiser. just keep - yourself a, use common sense. plenty of --eole yourself a, use common sense. plenty of peeple out — yourself a, use common sense. plenty of peeple out and _ yourself a, use common sense. plenty of people out and about _ yourself a, use common sense. plenty of people out and about shopping but retailers had pinned such high hopes on the christmas run—up that they are concerned this might not be enough. that would have ramifications well into the new year. there are worries that some businesses might not recover if the government doesn't step in. the? government doesn't step in. they have used up _ government doesn't step in. they have used up cash _ government doesn't step in. tie: have used up cash reserves, government doesn't step in. tte: have used up cash reserves, costs are going up dramatically because of the massive surge in inflation. and then suddenly at a time that should have been good, customers havejust disappeared. we will see business failures if there is no support. chancellor rishi sunak spoke to industry and business leaders yesterday, but isn't currently expected to introduce new measures

and addicts instead directing businesses to existing relief and loan schemes. for hospitality, the build—up to christmas is not looking like the bright salvation they were hoping for. in less than half an hour, the strictly come dancing final will take place tonight, but it's sad news for aj 0dudu and her partner kai widdrington, who have pulled out of the show. the tv presenter has torn a ligament in her right ankle which means only two couples will compete for the glitterball as david sillito reports. last week, it was a full house of tens for aj and kai's quickstep. the tv presenter aj 0dudu was on her way to the final. i'm really happy. thank you so much for all of your votes. i am buzzing! just days later, she posted this picture of herself sitting with crutches and a bandaged foot. an injury picked up during the hours of training. she has now had to admit defeat. she could barely stand,

let alone dance. her ligament had been torn. my ankle has given away and my ligament has ruptured. and it is not going to happen. we were gutted because we were ready to smash it. this isn't the way that we wanted to go out, obviously, but even just looking back at all of those moments, it's just been an absolute pleasure dancing with you every single week. so thank you. it was clear on week one that she was going to be a contender for the glitterball trophy. by week 12, she was just one point short of a perfect score for her two dances. it means the final tonight will be between the two remaining couples. aj 0dudu offered her best wishes, saying... david sillito, bbc news.

now on bbc news, it's time for sportsday. hello. this is sportsday live from the bbc sport centre with me, ben croucher. bowled over. england crumble out of contention in the second ashes test in adelaide. just one premier league game survives the covid chaos today. we'll have the latest from leeds—arsenal. and we'll show you how harlequins overcame a cardiff side missing 42 players. thanks for your company.

so to adelaide then, and a day dawid malan described as disappointing — that pretty much covers it too. avoiding defeat in the second test looks like a tall order already after early promise gave way to a familiar batting collapse on day three. we'll have reaction from the adelaide oval to come, but first patrick gearey rounds up the action. don't look down. the view ahead of day three was that england were on a precipice. the match, perhaps the series on the edge. joe root came out dancing. conditions were ideal for batting. he and malan seemed capable of doing a lot of it, no wickets in the first session. but just as those at home woke up and check their phone, joe root left the

conversation. that touch move the match, australia had dismissed officially the best batsmen in the world, the rest wouldn't be a problem. that was malan gone for a t. and this was 0llie pope, prodding at lyon on five. jos buttler met his own stark end, and england had lost fourfor 19 runs, own stark end, and england had lost fourfor19 runs, and own stark end, and england had lost fourfor 19 runs, and we were watching another repeat. when it ended, england were still 237 behind, the australian attack was supposed to be weakened. the aussies didn't have to bat again, but they chose to. sensing it was not as difficult as it had been made to look. they finished 45—1, a long way ahead, england sang regardless, but this might have been the day the music

stopped. unsurprisingly contrasting moods in the adelaide dressing rooms... i guess in terms of where it sits now, i think we hold all the cards with when we want to bowl, how big a lead we have. 0bviously, night sessions are a big one. a big striking session with the new ball and conditions so, yes, certainly we've got a few options on the table now, being batting. pretty frustrating and disappointing to have lost two wickets like we did last night, and to get ourselves back in a position where we could get within touching distance of them. it is disappointing but we can talk about the guys that failed, but ultimately we should have gone on and got a big hundred there and got the pressure off the guys so a bit disappointing.

0n the bbc sport website, our cricket corrspondent jonathan agnew said the collapse was inexcusable. what did former england paceman steven finn make of it? he's been chatting to henry moeran. in a tour that has a few candidates for the most disappointing day, this was right up there. england had a fine first session but then eight wickets fell for 86. stephen finn is an ashes winner here in australia and is alongside me. it feels so frustrating for england. yes, i think at the first break, england would have been so happy with the way they negotiated the australian bowlers and nathan lyon as well, it is almost something was said by australia in their dressing room at that first break, and they came up with real discipline afterwards, made it hard to score, got rid ofjoe root with a very good

ball from green. and it started a bit of a procession, really, for the english batters. it happened in the last test match, it has happened in this test match now, the nature of it will be concerning for the england dressing room, naturally, and i think they will be disappointed with the way that after they set that platform and everything was looking really good and australia were quiet, that they gave it back to australia in that afternoon session. where does this leave the game? what are england's hopes now? i think that first and foremost they need to try and take wickets, obviously, and try and get australia in that way. if it develops into a situation that looks more likely where australian will be looking to declare at some stage, to make sure they are bowling with a new ball in that twilight zone at the back end of the day tomorrow. i think it gives england an opportunity to break it down, completely break it down to say, we have to bat for

four sessions here. you then break the session down into smaller chunks and you get through those chunks and build blocks much as they did in the morning session, that allows you and gives you the confidence to go through and look at the target being the end of day five when hopefully you are shaking hands at, i am not sure what o'clock it will be, but with an hour left, you are shaking hands and saying, thanks for the game, australia. it will be interesting to see how it develops tomorrow and how australia decide to play it. england are down in this game, not quite out of it, they will have to play an awful lot better tomorrow morning and then with the bat, as this game progresses. there were meant to be six premier league games today. covid cancellations means there's just one. aston villa apologised to fans after their game against burnley was called off less than three hours before kick off following more covid cases at villa park. it leaves leeds versus

arsenal as the only game. just into the second half. it's 3—0 to arsenal. gabriel martinelli scored the first two, bukayo saka the third. leeds are withouth eight first team players through injury and suspension. they've got 15—year—old archie gray on the bench. all four games in the scottish premiership went ahead. dundee united had a covid outbreak in their squad with their manager saying it was an achievement just to put a team out against leaders rangers. ajames tavernier penalty gave rangers a 1—0 win and takes them seven clear at the top. hearts stay third after beating dundee. livingston scored late to draw with ross county whilst bottom side stjohnstone lost 2—0 at motherwell. bournemouth missed the chance to go top of the championship, losing 1—0 at middleborough in the lunchtime kick—off. they're now six games without a win. isiahjones was brought down byjaiden anthony early into the second half, and andraz sporar slotted home the penalty to lift boro up to eighth. wins too for blackburn, blackpool and nottingham forest. a quick round—up of some

of the day's other sport. arsenal against brighton in the women's super league is off tomorrow. champ made a winning return in the day's feature race — the long walk hurdle at ascot. the horse, usually seen over fences, showed he can stay over smaller obstacles beating the favourite thyme hill. there have been two nine—darters in 2a hours at the pdc world championship. lithuania's darius labanuskas achieved the rare feat in his defeat to mike de decker today. yesterday, scotland's willie borland achieved it. andy murray was beaten in straight sets by andrey rublev in the final of the world tennis championship exhibition in abu dhabi, losing the second set on a tie—break. rublev, the world number five, won 6—4, 7—6. having not played competively since a car crash in febuary, tiger woods is back on the golf course again, with the aid of a buggy to help with his injured leg. he's playing in an exhbition tournament alongside his son charlie.

coronavirus has also decimated the weekend's rugby fixtures with seven matches off because of french travel restrictions in response to the 0micron variant. 0ne match that did get played against all odds though was harlequins against cardiff blues despite the welsh side having 42 players out because of quarantine, injury and suspension. they put up a valiant display before eventually losing 113—17. lydia campbell watched this one. dan fish has tried to retire twice from rugby but with cardiff in cry because he was back to help them in a time of need. they travelled with a time of need. they travelled with a mix of semi—prose and academy players but it didn't stop them silencing the stupa after five minutes. this was a display full of grit and spirit from the visitors, but there isn't much that can

compensate for