this is bbc news, i'm lukwesa burak. these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. lord frost — the man in charge of the uk's brexit negotiations — has resigned from borisjohnson�*s government, according the mail on sunday newspaper. the dutch prime minister puts his country into a tough new lockdown, as the latest coronavirus variant spreads. another 90,000 covid—19 cases are reported across the uk, as the mayor of london declares a major incident in the capital.

hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. reports in the last hour in the uk press say that lord frost — the country's chief brexit negotiator who's currently involved in talks with the eu over the northern ireland protocol — has resigned from boris johnson's cabinet. let's talk to our political correspondent damian grammaticas. what do we know about this? this news has broken the last half hour by the mail on sunday newspaper, it

is understood that it is correct, not confirmed by either number ten or lord frost and his department. but it appears he has written four he wrote a resignation letter in the past few weeks to the prime minister and was persuaded to stay on until the end of the month, we think. so, until the end of the year. now, the reasons for this, it appears that it may be over the issue that lord frost was in the cabinet, he was the chief brexit negotiator for quite some time in that withdrawal agreement and the subsequent trade deal. this appears about a different issue, lord frost argued in the cabinet, recently, very strongly against more covid restrictions, but if you get the need for thing like vaccine passports, some people call them back thing is need to display them back thing is need to display the fact that you are covid—19

vaccinated or have been all have had a prior infection. that went through as one of the measures recently, lord frost had argued about that. it is understood, the mail on sunday saying that he doesn't agree with the political direction of the government. he was persuaded to stay on until the end of the month and apparently resigning possibly on good terms, though. we apparently resigning possibly on good terms, though.— apparently resigning possibly on good terms, though. we are going to net more good terms, though. we are going to get more on — good terms, though. we are going to get more on this _ good terms, though. we are going to get more on this in _ good terms, though. we are going to get more on this in the _ good terms, though. we are going to get more on this in the next - good terms, though. we are going to get more on this in the next hour. . get more on this in the next hour. many, many significant points to make note of but for now, thank you very much indeed. thank you. so, thatis very much indeed. thank you. so, that is the latest news, but uk's chief brexit negotiator, lord frost, and reports in the mail on sunday that he has resigned from his position. what that means for the british prime minister boris johnson, we will find out later. now, the netherlands where the government has announced the country will go to a tough

new lockdown — in response to rising coronavirus cases and the spread of the 0micron variant. prime minister rark rutte said "the netherlands is again shutting down. that is unavoidable because of the fifth wave that is coming at us. the dutch don't like chaos, so the fact that these measures are being put in place at the last minute a few days before christmas shows the real urgency and the need for tough new rules. they have been met with a mixture of disbelief, and this may and they have thrown the dutch christmas preparations into disarray, because we had new rules on tuesday, the schools were already closed from monday, but it has really been put down to the surging spread of 0micron, except the government's critics say it is not that alone, is the fact there is a slow response to the delta variant, plus a slow roll—out

of the booster programme, so here in the netherlands the over 60s have onlyjust been invited forward. this combination means the hospitals and local health services here in the netherlands can't cope with another new wave of patients coming in, and that is why they feel it is essential to take these extra measures nine. and we'll find out how these stories — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30 this evening in the papers — our guestsjoining me tonight arejo philips, political commentator and nigel nelson, political editor, sunday people & sunday mirror.

rising concern about the rapid spread of the 0micron variant in london has prompted mayor sadiq khan to declare a major incident in the capital. he said "the 0micron variant has quickly become dominant, with cases increasing rapidly and the number of patients in our hospitals on the rise again." in the past seven days, the number of covid patients in london hospitals has gone up by 29%. a major incident is described as an event or situtaion with a range of serious consequences and is "beyond the scope of business—as—usual operations". it's an event which requires special arrangements to be implemented by one or more emergency responders. we are incredibly concerned in the

huge surge of omicron. we have had the biggest number of new cases, 26,000 hospital admissions are going up, and staff absences are going up by a massive level so i have taken a decision in consultation with our partners to take a major incident today. ratherthan partners to take a major incident today. rather than different public authorities working separately, we will work together through the london resilience forum but also through the strategic coordinated group. it is really important that londoners understand how serious things are. from today, france has banned all non—essential travel from the uk because of concern over the surging 0micron variant. those who are allowed to travel will have to go into quarantine until they get a negative test result. the announcement has thrown france's tourism industry into disarray during the christmas season. portugal has become the latest

european country to start vaccinating its young children. those aged between 9 and 11 are being jabbed over this weekend. five—to—nine year olds are scheduled to be vaccinated from next weekend. greece, spain, italy and hungary are alreadyjabbing under—12s and denmark also began this week. the french health authority is also expected to give the green light next week to begin its child vaccination campaign. a woman arrested on suspicion of child neglect, as part of an investigation into the death of four children in a fire, has been bailed. firefighters had rescued two sets of twin boys from the house in sutton on thursday but they all later died in hospital. the metropolitan police say the 27—year—old woman has been asked to return to a police station next month. a met police officer has been sacked for using a racial slur

after an investigation into the sharing of photos of two murdered sisters. pc harry chandler used a derogatory word for people of pakistani origin in a post to a colleague, according to the police watchdog. it was found during its investigation into photos taken of bibaa henry and nicole smallman in wembley in 2020. now on bbc news... the nigeria based �*black axe' is one of the most feared and powerful organised crime groups in the world. peter macjob went on a journey to meet the axemen face to face — and to find out who is behind the group. a warning that this programme contains scenes which viewers may find upsetting. this morning several bodies found with their heads decapitated - were littered around the city. 13 people have been killed in cult—related killings -

within the past week. a secret death cult is thriving in nigeria. more terrifying than anything i've ever seen. they've been accused of countless murders at home and abroad. around the world, crime agencies are cracking down on their multimillion dollar internet fraud and human trafficking network. but here in their homeland, the cults seem unstoppable. and thousands of young lives have been destroyed. after 20 years abroad, i've come back to nigeria

to investigate this deadly mafia.