also in the programme: we report from yemen as the war reaches a turning point. houthi rebels are gaining ground in the seven—year conflict — a war that's caused shocking levels of suffering and forced many into makeshift desert camps. the people here are suffering because of the fault lines that run right through the middle east. and barbados has spent its first day as a republic with a president — not the queen as its head of state. we'll be live from the capital. there's evidence the omicron variant of covid was present in europe days before international travel restrictions were introduced — and before it was first reported by south africa. a lot to show you on the pandemic. let's start with bbc health correspondent laura foster. we had thought that the first cases