this is bbc news. i'm jane hill. the headlines at 4pm... tennis grand slam champion novak djokovic was given a vaccine exemption to enter australia because he had covid in december, according to court documents. flat owners in the uk won't have to pay to remove dangerous cladding from lower—height buildings under new government plans. the bbc understands the plans will be announced next week. at least 21 people have died in north—eastern pakistan after heavy snowfall trapped them in their vehicles. and nasa scientists say they have fully deployed in space the james webb telescope, which will be able to look further into the cosmos than ever before.

hello, good afternoon. welcome to bbc news. welcome to bbc news. novak djokovic has applied for leave to remain in australia on the grounds that he had covid last month. his lawyers said he was given a medical exemption from the country's vaccine rules by the organisers of the australian open. but he was refused entry by immigration officials when he landed in melbourne on wednesday. a court hearing will decide on monday whether he should be deported. but on the day that novak djokovic�*s legal team says he tested positive for covid, serbia's post office presented him with postage the men's world no one tweeted stamps in his honour. the men's world number one tweeted

about it the day afterwards, on the 17th. it comes as renata veracova, a czech doubles player, left australia this morning after her visa was cancelled because of her covid—19 vaccination status. djokovic, who has said he's opposed to vaccination, had been granted a medical exemption to play in the tournament in a decision that infuriated many australians. while on the next few minutes, i'm going to be talking to austrailia's former minister. first, let's hear the latest on the situation from our correspondent who is in melbourne. the world's top tennis player is spending the weekend in an immigration detention hotel. and his supporters have turned up for a third day. this is novak djokovic arriving in melbourne on wednesday. the documents his legal team presented to the court state he'd received the exemption from tennis australia, with a follow—up letter from the home affairs department saying he was allowed into the country.

his legal team added that onjanuary 1st djokovic received a document from home affairs telling him his responses indicated he met the requirements for a quarantine—free arrival into australia. what is becoming clear is a breakdown in communication among those making the decisions and what the judge has to look at and examine is exactly which rules apply. is it state government rules or federal government rules? and until a decision is made about whether novak djokovic can remain in australia, the world number one is still stuck in this immigration detention hotel, and in the middle of a huge controversy. this particular set of incidents, the victorian government was not briefed on the matter. in terms of how people got into the country, that's a matter

for the federal government. last night his mother offered some reassurance. novak, is i think... he said he is ok, but...|'m not so sure. but he is mentally very stable, and he is waiting. that's what he can do, waiting until monday morning to see what they are going to decide. the tennis tournament is only a few days away, and what's normally one of the biggest highlights here is turning into a political and a diplomatic embarrassment for australia. and shaimaa told us that for the moment novak djokovic is staying put in the immigration detention hotel. yes, there has been a request for him to be moved to a different facility, a different place, one with a tennis facility where he can train. of course, this is why he is here. he is here to compete in the australian open and that is still in doubt.

but we are unclear whether he will be moved to a different place or he will stay put for the rest of the weekend ahead of the decision, of course, on monday on whether he will be deported or remain in australia. it is yet another twist, these details that have emerged in this story. and of course again, many questions about what exactly went wrong in the decision—making process. what happened between novak djokovic announcing that he was coming to australia to defend his title and him ending up in an immigration detention cell? the australian open is due to begin in melbourne a week on monday. we can talk know to alexander downer, former australian foreign minister and high commissioner

to the uk until 2018. probably worth explaining to a british audience. very good afternoon. you are the liberal party which is the same party as scott morrison. my goodness, this is a mess, isn't it? it morrison. my goodness, this is a mess, isn't it?— mess, isn't it? it is a bit of a mess, isn't it? it is a bit of a mess because _ mess, isn't it? it is a bit of a mess because the _ mess, isn't it? it is a bit of a mess because the federal i mess, isn't it? it is a bit of a - mess because the federal government in the form of the health minister wrote to tennis australia on the 29th of november to say that the fact that somebody who is not vaccinated and has covid does not give them an exemption from quarantining for two weeks when they arrived in australia. so, tennis australia knew this from the end of november, but still... novak djokovic has come to australia and he can spend two weeks in quarantine, but he has come here

hoping to be exempt from quarantine on the basis the point of view of tennis australia. they have gotten themselves into a terrible mess. your understanding is that this is tennis australia's mistake. they knew the rules, they knew that novak djokovic�*s position did not fit those rules, but yet for some reason, he was still given an exemption. he was told yes, please come and come to the australian open? come and come to the australian 0 en? . , come and come to the australian oen? ., , , ., come and come to the australian oen? ., ., open? has your report for did out, the lawyers _ open? has your report for did out, the lawyers have _ open? has your report for did out, the lawyers have been _ open? has your report for did out, the lawyers have been arguing - open? has your report for did out, the lawyers have been arguing in l open? has your report for did out, i the lawyers have been arguing in the court that tennis australia had granted an exemption, but they don't have a say. they don't control australian's borders. the federal government does that. as you would expect in any country. the tennis

association is not responsible for the borders. they had been given the information by the minister. i do not know what has happened between tennis australian and also the state government of victoria. but somehow, they have mistakenly thought that novak djokovic would be exempt. it is getting an exemption from the quarantining that is the problem not being unvaccinated. he could have come earlier and gone into quarantine for two weeks which is what i think he did last year. or he could have gotten himself vaccinated.— could have gotten himself vaccinated. , a ., ., ., vaccinated. yes, let's not go down that particular _ vaccinated. yes, let's not go down that particular road. _ vaccinated. yes, let's not go down that particular road. because - vaccinated. yes, let's not go down that particular road. because we l vaccinated. yes, let's not go down i that particular road. because we are where we are as many politicians are fond of saying. to what extent is politics tied up with this? is there a degree? i understand everything that you say about the facts and we

have approached tennis australia about comments but we have not had a response yet. is there a sense in which scott morrison the prime minister think there is election coming and my people have gone under private nations under the last two years, isimply private nations under the last two years, i simply cannot hear where someone, whatever the circumstances, is look to have been given some kind of exemptionjust is look to have been given some kind of exemption just because he is famous and high—profile? h0. of exemption just because he is famous and high-profile? no, that is exactly right- — famous and high-profile? no, that is exactly right- of _ famous and high-profile? no, that is exactly right. of course _ famous and high-profile? no, that is exactly right. of course the - exactly right. of course the decision is not being made for political reasons. this is the law. there is no way the prime minister or senior ministers could grant an exemption for a tennis player albeit the world's number one tennis player, a truly great player, there is no doubt about that. but there is no way that we could give him an exemption when exemptions have not been given to people who have wanted

to go to australia to see dying parents, injured relatives. there are all sorts of heart wrenching stories about people not being able to see their relatives in australia. but those people are not famous, so they don't get an exemption. and the world's number one tennis player if he were to get an exemption, well, contrary to the rules, that would outrage the public. i would say 90% of the public are on the side of the prime minister and the government over this incident. that prime minister and the government over this incident.— over this incident. that is really interesting- _ over this incident. that is really interesting. so, _ over this incident. that is really interesting. so, given - over this incident. that is really interesting. so, given that... i over this incident. that is really interesting. so, given that... ll interesting. so, given that... i mean you explain the rules at the start really simply and that seems to say, i think certainly to any british audience watching this, that says here are the rules, of course you can come in. but you have to quarantine for two weeks. are we talking about a situation where novak djokovic's camp has

fundamentally misunderstood the rules? , ., , fundamentally misunderstood the rules? , , ., rules? yes, there has been a breakdown — rules? yes, there has been a breakdown in _ rules? yes, there has been a l breakdown in communications, rules? yes, there has been a - breakdown in communications, for sure, between essentially three groups of people. tennis australia, although you would think they would know the rules pretty well, the victorian state government, which has quite a substantial involvement in helping with the australian open and novak djokovic's own team as well. presumably he has staff that help him fill in visa applications and provide information and learn what the rules are. i mean australia has been i actually think some what justifiably criticised for being way too aggressive in keeping people out of the country over the last two years. so australia has a reputation for having fierce regulations on entering the country because of covid. you would think that they

would have looked very carefully at these regulations, particularly as novak djokovic is not vaccinated and ljy novak djokovic is not vaccinated and by all accounts is an anti—vax or. that makes it a lot more complicated for anyone who wants to travel internationally particularly to australia. , ., ., australia. there is a court hearing on monday _ australia. there is a court hearing on monday exactly _ australia. there is a court hearing on monday exactly one _ australia. there is a court hearing on monday exactly one week- australia. there is a court hearing l on monday exactly one week before the tournament is due to the... begin. if he does end up competing in the australian open, what sort of perception do you think he will get? look, if he plays, he will get a good reception. he always gets a good reception. he always gets a good reception. he always gets a good reception in australia. a bit like wimbledon. he gets reception, but not a great reception because people prefer players like ruff and the doll for one reason or another. having said that, i think people would just expect the rules to apply. how a court would overturn

this decision, ifind it hard apply. how a court would overturn this decision, i find it hard to know. i think it is very unlikely he will win his case on monday. very unlikely. will win his case on monday. very unlikel . �* ., will win his case on monday. very unlikel . �* . ., , ., unlikely. alexander, really good to talk to yom — unlikely. alexander, really good to talk to you. thank _ unlikely. alexander, really good to talk to you. thank you _ unlikely. alexander, really good to talk to you. thank you for - unlikely. alexander, really good to talk to you. thank you for your - talk to you. thank you for your time. we were talking about the novak djokovic situation and the australian open, due to begin a week on monday. now we are going to space. now we are going to space. nasa scientists say they have fully deployed in space the james webb telescope, which will be able to look further into the cosmos than ever before. they've completed the task today of unfolding its second and final mirrored wing. dr renske smit, who's ernest rutherford fellow at liverpooljohn moores university, explained why it's so exciting. for the next few months, it will be largely operations in baltimore, in the usa

where the telescope is operated. but after that, there is a lot of international collaboration, you know, with people all over the world, really, who are so excited to start to work on this science data, including my own team. so i started in 2017 with a worldwide team preparing for the fact that we are going to get science images in just a few months�* time. we are going to talk as well about this whole project. we are going to talk as well about this whole project. i'm joined now by our science correspondentjonathan amos. that professor was smiling through the whole of her interview. just reminds us how exciting this whole project really is. reminds us how exciting this whole preject really le— pro'ect really is. yes, i'm going to be project really is. yes, i'm going to be a little bit _ project really is. yes, i'm going to be a little bit of _ project really is. yes, i'm going to be a little bit of a _ project really is. yes, i'm going to be a little bit of a misery - project really is. yes, i'm going to be a little bit of a misery guts - project really is. yes, i'm going to be a little bit of a misery guts if. be a little bit of a misery guts if thatis be a little bit of a misery guts if that is possible. we have heard from an asset that they have deployed the mirror, what they have not done yet is lock it in place. so this mirror, it is so big, 6.5 metres across, it

went into space like a drop leaf table. the two sides of it were swept back, they had to open it out to make a full monolithic mirror, but those segments that came out have to be locked into position because if they are not, every time they turn the telescope, it will start flapping around and you cannot image the cosmos like that. we are still waiting for the latches to go in place, to have confirmation of that and then we have success and then i can pour myself a drink and relax on a saturday. {lilia then i can pour myself a drink and relax on a saturday.— relax on a saturday. 0k, fair enough- _ relax on a saturday. 0k, fair enough- you _ relax on a saturday. 0k, fair enough. you have _ relax on a saturday. 0k, fair enough. you have to - relax on a saturday. 0k, fair enough. you have to tell - relax on a saturday. 0k, fair enough. you have to tell it l relax on a saturday. 0k, fair. enough. you have to tell it like relax on a saturday. 0k, fair- enough. you have to tell it like it is. we cross fingers that that all happens and everything works the way it should. give us a sense of what they are hoping for, what they really hope ultimately this can tell us that previous telescopes have not been able to. we us that previous telescopes have not been able to— been able to. we had the hubble sace been able to. we had the hubble space telescope _ been able to. we had the hubble space telescope 30 _ been able to. we had the hubble space telescope 30 years - been able to. we had the hubble space telescope 30 years ago. . been able to. we had the hubble space telescope 30 years ago. a j space telescope 30 years ago. a completely transformed our view of

the cosmos. hubble is coming to the end of its lifetime. it will stop working in a few years, so we have the successor. james webb. it is much, much bigger. you can see deeper into the cosmos and therefore further back in time. they hope right to the moment, just a couple of hundred million years after the big bang with the very first stars switch on. there was darkness and then the stars ignite. why is that important? well, when the big bang happened, we only had three chemical elements, hydrogen, helium and lithium. everything else all of the other chemical elements had to be forged in the nuclear reactions in the stars. sold the carbon that makes up your body, the phosphorus in your dna, then nitrogen in the atmosphere, silicon in the rocks in the fiber—optic cables that is bringing pictures of me here in cambridge to you in london, all of that chemistry had to be made in

those first stars and in their descendents. so it is a really key moment in our story, in the story of the cosmos. it is the formation of all life. and we want to see it, and james webb is going to show it to us. . ~' james webb is going to show it to us. . ~ , ., james webb is going to show it to us. . ~ i. james webb is going to show it to us. . ~ . james webb is going to show it to us. thank you so much. we will have a little bit more _ us. thank you so much. we will have a little bit more from _ us. thank you so much. we will have a little bit more from you _ us. thank you so much. we will have a little bit more from you later. - now it is 4:17pm. we are going to turn our attentions to covid this afternoon because in the last couple of minutes we have had the latest government data through. the uk is recording more than 146,000 new cases on saturday. also recording 313 more deaths as ever, thatis recording 313 more deaths as ever, that is someone who dies within 28 days of a positive covid test. i'm

afraid, i think that takes us to another grim milestone in this pandemic. we hear now that the total figure is more than hundred 50,000 deaths in the uk since the pandemic began. those are the latest figures. that is the latest date of there. we will drill down on that date a little bit later. but that is the latest information that has come through. up to half a million flat owners across the uk may no longer face the cost of replacing dangerous cladding on their properties, under new government proposals. the plans, due to be announced by the housing secretary michael gove next week, would instead see developers forced to pay. we can speak now to mike amesbury

mp, labour's shadow minister for housing and local government. a very good afternoon to you. is this a welcome development? helping people, we believe, and lower rise buildings that were previously not covered by any help that was outlined. , , , , covered by any help that was outlined. , , ,, ., ., , outlined. tiny steps forward, but the devil is _ outlined. tiny steps forward, but the devil is in _ outlined. tiny steps forward, but the devil is in the _ outlined. tiny steps forward, but the devil is in the detail. - outlined. tiny steps forward, but the devil is in the detail. this - the devil is in the detail. this certainly seems to be more spin than substance. you have cited a figure of around a half a million people that nearly five years later are in buildings which are highly dangerous, flammable. and we are approaching the five—year anniversary of grenfell tower in june. it is a horrendous situation for people. it is broader than

cladding. it is inappropriate wooden balconies, it doesn't cover any of that. what is welcome is the government has finally seen sense, according to the details we have seen so far, in the position of loans which are going to put on the shoulders... ultimately what they need to do here is actually except those cross party members and protect leaseholders from historical remediation human this is a mess they never created and they are facing bills of thousands and thousands of pounds and some are going bankrupt as we speak. it you going bankrupt as we speak. if you were in power. _

going bankrupt as we speak. if you were in power, how— going bankrupt as we speak. if you were in power, how would - going bankrupt as we speak. if you were in power, how would you - going bankrupt as we speak. if you were in power, how would you help those power immediately because you are pointing out that people have had ongoing costs in some cases. leaseholders who have had to pay for round—the—clock fire wardens. all the horror stories we've been hearing about?— the horror stories we've been hearing about? you are exactly riuht. hearing about? you are exactly right- waking _ hearing about? you are exactly right. waking watch _ hearing about? you are exactly right. waking watch is, - hearing about? you are exactly - right. waking watch is, insurance... i have cited victoria australia. it is still remarkable nearly five years on from grand fall of the government still has not done an effective assessment, risk—based assessment of those most risky buildings. we need to find these places and then fix them. that is the approach. the building safety bill which is due to come before the housein bill which is due to come before the house in a not—too—distant future... i have spent weeks in weeks going

through this. leaseholders will have to pay for things beyond remediation cost. that breaks promises made by ministers. ., ., ., ministers. you are saying that the government _ ministers. you are saying that the government should _ ministers. you are saying that the government should find _ ministers. you are saying that the government should find a - ministers. you are saying that the government should find a way - ministers. you are saying that the government should find a way ofl government should find a way of refunding, effectively, some very high cost that an awful lot of people have already had to pay out. that is a massive scheme you would have to operate to get that money back to people. have to operate to get that money back to people-— back to people. know, that is not what i'm back to people. know, that is not what l'm saying- _ back to people. know, that is not what i'm saying. i'm _ back to people. know, that is not what i'm saying. i'm saying - back to people. know, that is not what i'm saying. i'm saying fundl what i'm saying. i'm saying fund upfront the remediation costs, do that, find them first, set up a building works agency, go through building works agency, go through building by building and recover. we are waiting to see more details on monday and we will give that scrutiny and challenge there. is scrutiny and challenge there. is there a way to force developers to

make good with some of this? to make amends, to pay up, frankly? there make good with some of this? to make amends, to pay up, frankly?— amends, to pay up, frankly? there is amends, to pay up, frankly? there is a small number— amends, to pay up, frankly? there is a small number who _ amends, to pay up, frankly? there is a small number who have _ amends, to pay up, frankly? there is a small number who have done - amends, to pay up, frankly? there is a small number who have done the i a small number who have done the right thing, but not enough. the government have spoken a lot of words in the past and named and shamed and so forth. they need to provide some teeth now and make sure that they pay. we are waiting to see the details on monday.— the details on monday. perhaps we can talk more _ the details on monday. perhaps we can talk more once _ the details on monday. perhaps we can talk more once we _ the details on monday. perhaps we can talk more once we have - the details on monday. perhaps we can talk more once we have those l can talk more once we have those details and we have the facts in front of us. thank you very much. the shadow ministerfor front of us. thank you very much. the shadow minister for housing and local government. the thing that that will be unveiled on monday. there will be much more analysis of that once we have a clear outline of exactly what the government is proposing for michael gove. at least 21 people have died in freezing temperatures in northeastern pakistan after their cars were

trapped in heavy snow. the chief minister of punjab province has declared the mountain resort town of murree — where a thousand vehicles are still stranded — as a "disaster area" and has urged people to stay away. a day trip to enjoy the spectacle of the first snowfall of the season turned to tragedy. tens of thousands, including families, flocked to the popular resort town after snow began falling on tuesday. many travelled from islamabad ill—equipped to deal with the blizzard conditions. the pakistani army has been brought in to help clear snow and rescue those trapped. and the hope is to begin air lifts when conditions allow. translation: helicopter service will soon be started, _ but the weather is not good right now. as soon as the weather gets bad there, god willing, we will start helicopter service to rescue any people stranded.

many of the casualties died from hypothermia as temperatures fell to —8 celsius. others were reported to have been asphyxiated by exhaust fumes as they kept engines running to keep warm. vehicles were trapped as the narrow mountain roads became clogged with the sheer number of vehicles. others were blocked by fallen trees brought down by the weight of snow. local people are delivering blankets and food to those stranded. on friday, the government closed all roads leading to murree to stop any further influx. pakistan's prime minister has expressed his shocked and upset at the deaths. he suggested that the local administration was caught unprepared. he has ordered an inquiry to ensure such a tragedy does not happen again. let's go back to coronavirus more

than 150,000 people have died since the pandemic began, our health correspondent katharine da costa is here. a lot of data to go through. just explain what we know so far. it is a reall bi explain what we know so far. it is a really big number— explain what we know so far. it is a really big number and _ explain what we know so far. it is a really big number and the - explain what we know so far. it is a really big number and the latest. really big number and the latest figures for today with 313 deaths recorded that is within 28 days of a positive test, that does not include data from wales. looking at what happened before christmas, we saw a surgeon cases do relayed to the omicron variant. deaths are up nearly 40%. the uk hit 100,000 deaths injanuary last year. it has taken 12 months to reach 150,000

deaths. that is down to the protection we have had from vaccines and boosters in particular. they are playing a really big part in preventing people falling seriously ill and dying. preventing people falling seriously illand dying. daily preventing people falling seriously ill and dying. daily deaths peaked at 1800 on the 20th of january last year. we are currently seeing about 160 deaths a day on average. numbers have come down a lot, but everyone is a loss. it is a father, mother, sister, brother. it is a tragedy. these are covid deaths in men there are also the non—covid deaths that happened across the pandemic. that has had a huge impact on families. restrictions meant that people could not be with their loved ones in the hospital when they were dying. they had to limit who could go to funerals. it might mean they could not access support for bereavement, face—to—face, for example, over that

time. and some charities are warning there could be huge problems builds up there could be huge problems builds up because of a lack of having counciling, leading to things like mental health problems, relationship breakdown, addiction, loneliness, these sorts of things. so huge implications because of this. yes. implications because of this. yes, norma's ramifications _ implications because of this. yes, norma's ramifications that - implications because of this. yes, norma's ramifications that we will be talking about probably for years. a quick thought about vaccination programme. we are told there is no need for a fourth dose. that is a testament that the work dose, the booster dose is doing. there is still a drive on vaccinations. we know in the capital there are people who have not had a single vaccine. that is right. there is a focus making sure that everyone has had a first vaccine and then to go on to have the second and third. evidence has found that three months after having had a booster, people over 65 still have about 95% protection. so

they are standing up really well for now. the vaccine experts have said for now they do not feel they need to start rolling out fourth booster doses. they are going to keep monitoring that and see what happens over a period of time. in the meantime, four people have yet to have their booster and there could be lots of different reasons. if you have caught covid, you have to wait a certain amount of time before you can get it. there are appointments available. people are being urged to come forward. the statistics say that 90% of people and i see you have not had a booster. it is making a huge difference. that offer is still open, and people should come forward. ., still open, and people should come forward. . ., ~ , ., , forward. catherine, thank you very much. forward. catherine, thank you very much- now — forward. catherine, thank you very much- now to _ forward. catherine, thank you very much. now to kazakhstan. - the authorities in kazakhstan say they've arrested the former head of the domestic intelligence agency on suspicion of high treason. karim massimov was sacked from the national security committee by president tokayev on wednesday as violence that followed anti—government demonstrations escalated across the country.

dozens of people have been killed in the protests. meanwhile, the us has questioned kazakhstan's decision to seek russian military aid to deal with an ongoing wave of violent unrest. in the uk allegations of another party at downing street are set to be included in the official investigation into events held at number ten during the pandemic. it comes after borisjohnson's former chief adviser, dominic cummings claimed a senior official invited people to "socially distanced drinks" in the garden, while restrictions were in place in may 2020. now it's time for a look at the weather with louise lear. good evening, it was a pretty miserable start to our weekend, but the weather story did improve as we go through the day. there will continue to be a few showers through the evening and overnight in the far north and west, but as the skies

continue to clear, well, temperatures will fall away