mark lowen, bbc news.e have been queues — and as long as their have been queues, there have been complaints about them. music. takes up the cudgels in the fight to end queueing. while the ministries of food, labour and transport promise action against cues, there arises a woman champion for the housewife, mrs lovelock of selhurst. a london vicar�*s wife and originator of the anti—queue movement now sweeping the country. is it true to say, mrs lovelock, that you have inspired women to rise against this hangover of war? yes, and i do believe that a nationwide rising of the housewives would end this terrible curse of queueing. well, over 75 years later, and i think it's fair to say mrs lovelock�*s efforts to abolish the queue may not have been as successful as she hoped. but in new york city, some nifty enterprises are making big business out of long lines. whether it's a big theatre opening or a hot restaurant that doesn't take reservations, punters can now pay upwards of $115 an hour for someone to keep the

mark lowen, bbc news, chamonix. the headlines on bbc news...h new lockdown from monday, as the latest coronavirus variant spreads. another 90,000 covid—i9 cases have been reported across the uk. in london, the mayor sadiq khan has declared a major incident. lord frost, the man in charge of the uk's brexit negotiations, has resigned from borisjohnson�*s government, according the mail on sunday newspaper. at least 31 people have died and many remain missing in the philippines after typhoon rai hit the country on thursday. the storm, which affected the country's southern provinces, packed sustained winds of 195 kilometres per hour and dumped heavy rain, triggering flash flooding and landslides. from manila, howard johnson reports. typhoon rai, the strongest storm to hit the philippines this year, destroyed homes, uprooted trees and toppled power lines — leaving more than 3 million filipinos without electricity, according to the government. but what made this storm so significant is the power it sustained, as it inundated nine different islands wit

mark lowen, bbc news, chamonix.ontestant to win strictly come dancing. she and her partner giovanni pernice beat the show�*s first male same—sex couple, tv chefjohn whaite and johannes radebe. tv presenter aj odudu was forced to drop out due to an injury. with all the sport now, here's lizzie greenwood hughes at the bbc sport centre. thanks, martine. good evening. england's cricketers' hopes of levelling the ashes series are in tatters after another batting collapse. they'll start day four of the second test in a few hours' time, 282 runs behind australia and facing another long, hard day in adelaide. patrick gearey reports. no need to check the scorecard or study the figures, the faces reflected england's day. in another reality they'd still be batting like they were all through the first session, so comfortably. that's a ulorious session, so comfortably. that's a glorious shot. _ session, so comfortably. that's a glorious shot. joe _ session, so comfortably. that's a glorious shot. joe root _ session, so comfortab

our rome correspondent mark lowen reports.f his papacy held mass in the cypriot capital split between its turkish and greek —— in the cypriot capital nicosia, split between its turkish and greek community for almost half a century. some 7,000 faithful came — mostly domestic workers from the philippines and the middle east among the tiny catholic minority here. and in a country where reconciliation between greek and turkish cypriots have stalled, an appeal for peace. translation: dear| brothers and sisters. in the presence of any personal darkness and the challenges faced by the church and society, we are called to renew our paternity. if we stay divided among each other and everyone only thinks about themselves or their group, if we don't come together, if we don't have dialogue, if we don't work together, we cannot properly healfrom blindness. francis becomes the second pope to visit the country, fractured since 1974 when turkey invaded the north, fearing that greece will attempt to annex the island. many here hope today's po

mark lowen, bbc news, chamonix.tical pressure for his handling of coronavirus in the uk. now lord frost, the chief brexit negotiator, has resigned from the cabinet. in a letter to the british prime minister, he has cited concerns over the direction of mrjohnson�*s government, particularly around the imposing of new restricions. the former brexit secretary said he believes we need to learn to live with covid, telling mrjohnson: he went on to say: our political correspondent damian grammaticus reports. this resignation of lord frost is without doubt another blow to boris johnson, delivered right at the time the prime minister is at his weakest since coming to office. lord frost, a one—time diplomat, was brought in to negotiate a boris johnson's brexit deal. he sparred with michel barnier, shuttling back and forth to brussels. it helped mrjohnson secure the support of hardline brexit supporters in his party. the gap between us is quite significant. so, lord frost, on the left, helped secure mrjohnson�*s brexit deals an

mark lowen reporting.year. figures from the retail analysts, springboard, show footfall is up 3.4% today across all destinations. but plan b guidance and concern about coronavirus meant footfall was down 13.2% in central london last week, with other large falls in other cities. but footfall on smaller high streets rose in the past seven days — up 8.4% in market towns. the headlines on bbc news: government scientific advisers warn tougher covid restrictions may be needed "very soon" in england — to avoid a steep rise in hospital admissions as cases of the 0micron variant surge. football stadiums and shopping centres are among nearly 3000 venues in england offering booster jabs this weekend — some will open round—the—clock. a woman arrested following a fire at sutton in south london, in which four young boys died, has been bailed — the 27—year—old, who was arrested on suspicion of child neglect, will return to a south london police station in mid—january. a man has appeared in court charged with murder and a

it's thrown france's tourism industry into disarray during the christmas season. 0ur correspondent mark lowenes of mont blanc, hope was peeking through of a bumper christmas, a relief from covid, but then france warned of a landslide, not on its own mountains, but of covid in britain, all nonessential arrivals from the uk grinding to a halt today. travel now in disarray. a few people in different families who will probably not be able to come up now. obviously a bit gutting for certain people but we are just lucky, definitely. does it feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy. loads of people from england and other countries coming in, but it doesn't feel that busy. one in four tourists in chamonix pre—pandemic were british, the largest foreign group in the french ski resorts, and their absence is clear. with some of the best early season snow here for years and with flights and ferries from the uk phil, terrestrial optimism in the french resorts, but while the brits who made it here in time count their luck, businesses are counting their losses. this restauranteur was hoping to quench th

our correspondent mark lowen reports from the alpine resort of chamonix.ristmas, a relief from covid, but then france warned of a landslide, not on its own mountains, but of covid in britain, all nonessential arrivals from the uk grinding to a halt today. travel now in disarray. hill if you people in different families who will probably not be able to come up now. obviously a bit gutting for certain people but we are just lucky, definitely. gutting for certain people but we arejust lucky, definitely. does it feel empty? at, are just lucky, definitely. does it feel empty?— feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy- _ feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy. loads _ feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy. loads of— feel empty? a bit. normally it is really busy. loads of people - feel empty? a bit. normally it is| really busy. loads of people from england and other countries coming in, but it doesn't feel that busy. one in four tourists in chamonix pre—pandemic where british comedy largest foreign group in the french ski resorts, and their ab

people now need compelling reasons to travel. 0ur correspondent mark lowen is in the french ski resortamonix. what has the impact been at this change? what has the impact been at this chance? . , what has the impact been at this chance? , ., change? the impact is huge, joanna. partl for change? the impact is huge, joanna. partly for the — change? the impact is huge, joanna. partly for the british _ change? the impact is huge, joanna. partly for the british tourists - change? the impact is huge, joanna. partly for the british tourists who - partly for the british tourists who were hoping for a pre—christmas getaway, a relief from covid, but also for the french businesses that depend on them. pre—covid, one in four visitors to chamonix were british. i have already spoken to one restaurant owner who says he has let go three members of staff anticipating the loss of business. france's prime minister has compared the 0micron variant to lightning, and france is trying to buy time for its booster campaign with its measure, but at a very high price. meanwhile, some brits have arrived in france

our correspondent mark lowen reports from the alpine resort of chamonix.ilies. probably won't be able to come out now, so i guess we're lucky.- so i guess we're lucky. does it feel empty? — so i guess we're lucky. does it feel empty? a _ so i guess we're lucky. does it feel empty? a bit _ so i guess we're lucky. does it feel empty? a bit because - feel empty? a bit because normally. _ feel empty? a bit because normally, it's _ feel empty? a bit because normally, it's really - feel empty? a bit because normally, it's really busy. | normally, it's really busy. loads _ normally, it's really busy. loads of _ normally, it's really busy. loads of people from england and other countries like coming in but _ and other countries like coming in but don't feel that busy. 0ne — in but don't feel that busy. one and _ in but don't feel that busy. one and four tourists were british. their absence is clear. with some of the best or the season snow here for years, and the flights and ferries from the uk full, there was real optimism in the french resorts. but now, while th

it's thrown france's tourism industry into disarray during the christmas season. 0ur correspondent mark lowent with. after almost two years of the pandemic and lockdowns, they were hoping for a better season here, but once again, the restrictions have been tightened, and the ghost of christmas past are lurking. up the slopes of mount blanc, hope was peeking through. of a bumper christmas, it will from covid. but then france warned of a landslide, not on its own mountains but of 0micron in britain, all nonessential arrivals from the uk grain to a halt from today. travel plans now in disarray. from today. travel plans now in disarra . ~ �* ,, from today. travel plans now in disarra .~ �* ,, ., , disarray. we've missed a few people in different families _ disarray. we've missed a few people in different families who _ disarray. we've missed a few people in different families who are - in different families who are going to come _ in different families who are going to come over who probably are not going _ to come over who probably are not going to _ to come over who probably are not going to he

mark lowen is in the french ski—resort of chamonix.ions are impacting ski resorts in france. brits make up the largest foreign cohort to the french ski resorts as a whole, and so the french businesses that depend on british custom are really beginning to worry about yet another lost season, and the sad irony all is that the conditions are absolutely perfect. you can probably see the gorgeous blue skies behind me, there has been a lot of early snow here in the season and with the ferries and flights and trains fully booked, actually, from the uk through these next few weeks, the french resorts were really looking forward to a bumper christmas season, but then came the announcement on thursday from the french government they were pulling up the drawbridge to all but essential travel, saying that omicron was going to be like a landslide to hit the uk. the french prime minister has now compared it to lightning tearing through france potentially as well. they've just cancelled all new year's eve firework displays across the country, hospita

let's get more from our europe correspondent mark lowen — mark it's been a busy 24 hours with peoplere in chamonix and the skiing conditions are perfect, not to make you too jealous, but we spoke to britons here who are counting their luck, really to have got in before the deadline. many told us they had friends and family who were planning to join them told us they had friends and family who were planning tojoin them in the days ahead and they now cannot do that, because france has closed the door to all but essential travel, excluding french nationals and citizens and their families, travel, excluding french nationals and citizens and theirfamilies, who can still come in. that is because of the galloping speed of 0micron in the uk and the french prime ministers said today that the 0micron, he compared it to lightning, and a statement that came in a couple of days ago from the french government said with a tidal wave of 0micron in the uk, france needed to act. the problem for resorts like chamonix that depend on british tourism is that about one in four of all visitors to chamonix p