emma simpson, bbc news. now on bbc news, it's the travel show — with lucy hedges.on the travel show: iam in dubai, with visions of the future at the delayed expo 2020. if i scan this image here, i get augmented reality view of what south korea deems to be the future of mobility. and that includes flying cars. woo! i take a dip and tumble... laughs and i discover an artificial rainforest in what was once a desert. oh, hello! oh, here we go! but first, in a difficult couple of years in the global travel calendar, there has been one giant mega event looming. and of course, fitting for a giant mega event, that was to happen in this city of superlatives, dubai. nobody knew for sure it would happen, but here it is. hello, expo 2020, orshould that be expo 2021. it was delayed by a year, and for a place that relies so heavily on tourism, dubai needed this to happen. in fact, it is probably not too much of a stretch to say the entire international tourism industry needed this to happen. well, i'm armed with my expo passport — let's do this. it has taking place over six mont

emma simpson, bbc news, birmingham.most doubled in a day — with 249 recorded in the past 2a hours. it means more than 800 have now been identified. there are more than 100 cases now in scotland and because of that public health scotland has urged people to call off their christmas parties because of the rising numbers. 0ur scotland correspondent james shaw is in glasgow. this is coming from senior public health officials, not from the scottish government itself? that's ri . ht and scottish government itself? that's right and it's _ scottish government itself? that's right and it's certainly _ scottish government itself? that's right and it's certainly true - scottish government itself? that's right and it's certainly true that. right and it's certainly true that there has been a little bit of confusion, just before this announcement was made by public health scotland jason leitch, who is the national clinical director here, and authoritative voice on covid, was on the radio saying people could go to parties as long as t

emma simpson, bbc news.on bbc news — in a special bbc 100 women interview, author chimamanda ngozi adichie discusses the responsibilities of being seen by many as a feminist icon. welcome to this bbc 100 women special interview with the nigerian writer and feminist chimamanda ngozi adichie. you may know her from her 2012 ted talk we should all be feminists orfrom her words being sampled in the beyonce song flawless but her books have been translated in over 30 languages. her newest essay deals with a very personal grief of losing her father. her mother also unexpectedly died in the past year. she tells us why she has chosen to be so open about this time in her life. i also ask her about the controversial comments she has made about trans women in the past and we discuss how she copes with the very public consequences of being one of nigeria's most famous voices. chimamanda ngozi adichie, thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us here on the bbc�*s 100 women season. thank you. we are just going to

from birmingham, here's our business correspondent emma simpson. a city with a festive feel. too. many in good spirits despite the latest restrictions. i despite the latest restrictions. ~ �* , restrictions. i think if it's coin: restrictions. i think if it's going to _ restrictions. i think if it's going to help. _ restrictions. i think if it's going to help, it's - restrictions. i think if it's going to help, it's fine. l restrictions. i think if it's going to help, it's fine. i| going to help, it's fine. i will do whatever as long as people are safe. i will do whatever as long as people are safe.— will do whatever as long as people are safe. i think they are really — people are safe. i think they are really confusing - people are safe. i think they are really confusing but - people are safe. i think they are really confusing but i - are really confusing but i think_ are really confusing but i think actually people are ahead of the — think actually people are ahead of the government, so people will be — of the government, so people will be the ones who make the responsible

emma simpson, bbc news, birmingham. christmas parties due to the rising number of cases of the omicron variant. many of the restrictions announced in england are already in place in other uk nations. in a moment we will be hearing from our correspondent james shaw moment we will be hearing from our correspondentjames shaw in glasgow and from emma vardy in northern ireland. hywel griffith takes us through the restrictions already in place in wales. england's plan b looks a lot like wales' planai. facemasks have remained mandatory in public spaces. the advice to work from home was never removed. covid pass is work introduced here almost two months ago. initially in nightclubs and venues, theatres and cinemas, so what has the impact been? concerns about large queues have largely dissipated. in fact the complaint now is that parties are often seen but not scanned. covid case numbers in wales have been falling over the last two months, but the rates have remained above those in england, which calls into question how effectiv

emma simpson, bbc news.metropolitan police says it won't investigate allegations that staff at downing street broke covid restrictions by holding a christmas party, because of a "lack of evidence". the prime minister's former spokesperson, allegra stratton, has resigned after appearing to joke about the party, and there are claims of more gatherings at number ten, whilst the uk was in lockdown. iain watson reports. three, two, one... plan b, with its new restrictions in england, is on its way just before christmas. but questions are still persisting over what happened last christmas behind downing street's black door. at a mock press conference, the prime minister's then spokeswoman appeared to be making light of some of the restrictions on social gatherings. this fictional party was a business meeting and it wasn't socially distanced. but yesterday, the laughter had turned to tears, as she apologised and resigned. my remarks seemed to make light of the rules, rules that people were doing everything to obey.

emma simpson, bbc news, birmingham.r christmas parties due to the rising number of cases of the omicron variant. many of the restrictions announced in england are already in place in other uk nations. in a moment we will be hearing from our correspondentjames shaw in glasgow and from emma vardy in northern ireland. first, we hear how the current restriction stand in wales. england's fun they look a lot like wales plan a. this massive remained mandatory, advice to work from home was never removed and covid—19 patterns were see almost two months ago, initially in nightclubs and big venues but more recently in theatres and cinemas so what is the impact being? concerns about large queues have largely dissipated. in fact, the complaint now is that passes are often seen but not scanned. covid—19 case numbers in wales have been falling over the last two months but the rates have remained too much above those in england which calls into question how effective these measures have been.— into question how effective these measures

our business correspondent emma simpson reports from northamptonshire.ble digit urowth all trade. we have been double digit growth all year- _ trade. we have been double digit growth all year. that _ trade. we have been double digit growth all year. that has - trade. we have been double digit growth all year. that has not - trade. we have been double digit growth all year. that has not letl trade. we have been double digit l growth all year. that has not let up and going into december, we are almost 40% up against 2019. what about 0micron? because we have appointment booking and we have screens in the stores, because customers feel safe, we have not seen any slowing of trade or footfall. , ., , , , ., , ., footfall. some shoppers are being a bit more careful. _ footfall. some shoppers are being a bit more careful. melanie _ footfall. some shoppers are being a bit more careful. melanie is - footfall. some shoppers are being a bit more careful. melanie is a - bit more careful. melanie is a nurse. i took— bit more careful. melanie is a nurse. i took a _ bit

emma simpson, bbc news.metropolitan police says it won't investigate allegations that staff at downing street broke covid restrictions by holding a christmas party, because of a lack of evidence. the prime minister's former spokesperson allegra stratton has resigned after appearing to joke about the party, and there are claims of more gatherings at number 10 whilst the uk was in lockdown. iain watson reports. three, two, one... plan b, with its new restrictions in england, is on its way just before christmas. but questions are still persisting over what happened last christmas behind downing street's black door. at a mock press conference, the prime minister's then spokesperson appeared to be making light of some of the restrictions on social gatherings. but yesterday, the laughter had turned to tears, as she apologised and resigned. my remarks seemed to make light of the rules. rules that people were doing everything to obey. that was never my intention. i will regret those remarks for the rest of my days a

central london, and 6.4% in cities outside the capital let's speak to our business correspondent, emma simpsonng in the high street for the whole year, and these figures are disappointing from springboard. if you look at what was happening right across retail for the what was happening right across retailfor the uk what was happening right across retail for the uk at the weekend, we only saw an increase of 0.8% on saturday compared to the previous saturday. so, that surgejust saturday compared to the previous saturday. so, that surge just failed to materialise. on sunday, it was even down. but as you say, central london, really the hardest hit, down 8.5%. cities outside london down 6.4%. but then in market terms, they fared better and were up a bit. retail parks fared best of all, probably because of free parking, more modern stores, people able to quickly coming in to get out again. reflecting perhaps shoppers being a bit more cautious. i would say it is a fairly muted end to the year in terms of football. i a fairly muted end to the year in terms of football.— terms of football. i spoke 'ust

emma simpson, bbc news, northampton.2019. a bristol man has been sentenced to 14 months in jail for arson and writing full on protest in bristol earlier this year. ——for arson and rioting during protests in bristol earlier this year. ryan roberts — who's 25 and from easton in bristol — tried to set fire to two police vehicles while officers were inside them, during a �*kill the bill�* protest in the city in march. a man who stabbed to death one of the uk�*s richest men, in what police described as a "ferocious" attack has been found guilty of murder. 35—year—old thomas schreiber killed 83—year—old sir richard sutton at his home in dorset april. schrieber will be sentenced on monday. andrew plant has the background to the case. go, go, go! april this year. armed police responding to calls for help at a mansion set deep in the dorset countryside. shouting. inside, sir richard sutton has been fatally stabbed. his partner, anne schreiber, knifed multiple times, her spinal cord partially severed. after the attack, her son tho