Hello this is bbc news, the headlines. Theres been calls for more support for the uks travel and Tourism Sector after the government imposes tougher restrictions on arrivals to keep out new strains of coronavirus. A further 1,295 people have died in the uk according to the latest covid figures. But the number of new infections has dropped to its lowest level so far this year. Stricter covid restrictions come into force in scotland with changes to takeaway and click and collect services. India launches one of the worlds biggest Covid Vaccination programmes the government hopes to inoculate three hundred Million People in the coming months. President Electjoe Biden sets out plans to speed up immunisations
in the United States promising to vaccinate 100 Million People within his first 100 days in office. Germanys christian democrats have elected Armin Laschet as their new leader a key moment in the race to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. Now on bbc news its time for sportsday. Hello and welcome to sportsday. A double ton for the captain joe root reaches 228 but sri lanka stage a fightback in the first test. 1a days in a hotel room thats the reality facing almost 50 tennis players, after positive coronavirus tests on their flights to the australian open. And finally a win for Sam Allardyce as west brom manager they beat wolves at molineux. Hello and welcome to sportsday. Good evening welcome to the programme. Were starting in sri lanka, where the home side staged a fight back on the third day of the first test. They finished the day on 156 for 2 in their second innings. But england still have a lead of 130, after a stunning double century from captainjoe root. Joe wilson reports the match was not yet englands but saturday morning wasjoe root� s. Straight to deep mid wicket. Well, by then, hed made 228. A monumental innings. It felt like a match winning performance. Well, not yet. Up the stairs, lunch, prepare to bowl. Home side batting again, 286 behind, with plenty to prove. Theres more to sri lanka than ducks. Four noughts on the scorecard in the first innings, a strong start this time. And england had a problem, for the first time how to dismiss those who stubbornly remain. Well, kusal perera could have hit this anywhere. He found a fielder. Sometimes, the luck� s with you. Sometimes. 0ne caught, now one dropped. Thirimanne to sibley. And down. And the captain, well, its still a lovely view from up there. Sri lankas fightback continued, as the skies darkened. England needed something before the close. Here it comes. 0h, beauty just a faint touch. Jack leach� s delivery found the batsman� s glove. Kusal mendis out. Sri lanka will resume still 130 behind. Its a contest. Well, its a test match. Joe wilson, bbc news. So a much tougher day for england but all rounder sam curran still thinks his side have a big advantage a very nice position for us to be in, the boys batted nicely especiallyjoe with his 200, still uncapped played very well and had a Great Partnership but gaining that wicked at the end gives us that extra bit of momentum but a great position and tomorrow is going to be another day of hard work because steel anchor and fighting really hard. Steel anchor and fighting really hard. Steel anchor and fighting really hard. Down in Brisbane Australia are on top in their fourth
and deciding test against india india will resume on day three on 62 for 2 in theirfirst innings still 307 runs behind. They lost opener rohit sharma for 44 just before the close. The series is level at one test all. Britian� s Heather Watson is among almost 50 tennis players wholl be confined to their hotel rooms for the next two weeks ahead of the australian open. Its after positive coronavirus tests on two charter flights bringing players and staff into melbourne for the tournament. 0ur reporter Austin Halewood has more details, and austin this now means those players arent even allowed out to train, and theyre not happy. Thats right two weeks of isolation in their rooms and it means they might only have one day of training on a court in australia, before the warm up competitions begin so you have to think these players are going to be at a real disadvantage come the tournament itself. Now two time champion Victoria Azarenka is one of the players in isolation, as is former us open champion sloane stephens
and britains Heather Watson. Now, watson tweeted a bit more about the situation. She said she was on a flight from the uae where one person tested positive, so everyone has to quarantine. The same happened on a flight from los angeles. And she adds, rather ominously, so far. Now all of the players knew they would have to quarantine for 1h days when they arrived in australia, but in that they were also allowed 5 hours a day out of their hotel, to train at a court. Now british number one Johanna Konta wasnt on one of the affected flights. But those five hours on a court arent enough for her. Shes been doing plenty of hotel room workouts. Something that might look familiar to lots of you out there trying
to keep fit in lockdown. Well konta also tweeted. That shes feeling incredibly grateful to all of those who have worked hard to put the tournament on safely. Heres to a great aussie summer of tennis so great news for tennis fans, but not everyone is keen on the tournament going ahead. Its important to put this into contex. Australia have had very strict rules on people coming into the country, throughout the pandemic, as a way of curbing the spread of the virus. Now thousands of australians are stranded, trying to get home because of this. But with 1,200 people given special dispensation to come over for the tournament. This latest situation has added another layer of discontent, to those already unhappy
about the situation kat. And we do not yet know whether andy murray will be able to travel at all after he tested positive in the uk. Sam allardyce has his first win as west brom manager theyre still in the relegation zone, but the win over local rivals wolves will give them hope. Despite calls for players to pay closer attention to Covid Protocols though, celebrations continued as usual. Drew savage reports four weeks, and two days, after Sam Allardyce took charge, a premier league win. And in the Black Country derby. Maybe hard for west brom, to avoid the urge to celebrate normally. In the position we are and the length it has been since we won a game it is very difficult to control your emotions, even i wanted to kiss him and that is saying something. I
dont think it was totally out of control but you can obviously understand that happened. Albion went ahead, thanks to a gift from wolves� willy boly. Mateus pereira stepping up to the penalty spot. Advantage west brom. The first goal celebration, suitably muted. Wolves are also on a poor run. Missing injured striker raul himenezzz. His stand in, 35 Million Pound teenager fabio silva, happy to take the plaudits for the equaliser. And 1 1 became 2 1 just before half time willy boly� s team mates breaching protocols to congratulate him. Leaving allardyces side needing to bounce back themselves. Two flicked headers and they were level. Semi ajayis third goal in five games, provoking another spontaneous lack of social distancing. Another penalty conceded by wolves gave their local rivals the chance to come out on top. Pereira calmly put this one away too. A big win but west brom still widely tipped to go down although they may not be listening. Brighton are now two places above the relegation zone after winning 1 nil at leeds. Their goal came after a quarter of an hour the result of some neat passing, with neal maupee finishing off the move. Leeds made a better fist of it in the second half but failed to find a way through. West ham moved into the top eight of the table after a 1 0 win over burnley. Michailantonio, returning to the premier league after injury put the hosts ahead early on. And despite an attempt at a distanced goal celebration, some hugs and high fives snuck in there. Two more premier league games today. Fulham are into the second half against chelsea. Fulham had Antonee Robinson sent off for a reckless challenge, but the game is still goalless. Later leicester take on southampton celtic dropped more points today and are still 20 points behind their old firm rivals rangers at the top of the scottish premiership. Neil lennons side drew nil nil at home to livingston. Rangers are at motherwell tomorrow. Hamilton drew with dundee united, elsewhere there were wins
for hibernian ross county and stjohnstone arsenal midfielder mesut ozil is close to completing a move to turkish club fenerbahce. Ozil still has half a season left on his arsenal contract but both parties are in advanced talks to terminate it. Ozil has not played for arsenal since last march. Ben ainslie� s, in eos team uk, continue to make solid progress in their bid to qualify for the americas cup. Theyve now won their opening three races of the challenger series in auckland. And 20 year old yan bingtao from china has knocked out the defending champion Stuart Bingham 6 5 to reach the final of snooker� s masters. Yan will face the winner of tonights semi between john higgins and david gilbert. Thats live on the bbc at seven oclock. The leading Womens Basketball team in the country, the sevenoaks suns, have announced they will pull out of
all their matches until the middle of next month at the earliest due to the covid pandemic. Despite being allowed to continue playing during the lockdown they now feel its not safe to do so meaning theyll miss out on defending their title at the wbbl cup final this month. Juliette parkin reports. They have won every piece of silverware in the domestic game and completed the set when they lifted the cup a year ago. But later this month the sevenoaks suns will not be back to defend it. We month the sevenoaks suns will not be back to defend it. Back to defend it. We realised a lot of la ers back to defend it. We realised a lot of players were back to defend it. We realised a lot of players were at back to defend it. We realised a lot of players were at a back to defend it. We realised a lot of players were at a lot back to defend it. We realised a lot of players were at a lot of back to defend it. We realised a lot of players were at a lot of risk back to defend it. We realised a lot of players were at a lot of risk by l of players were at a lot of risk by continuing from themselves on their team mates are people they lived with and i think everybody is sad about not playing in the cup final, we have the defending champions and have a great team but the team was united on this. United on this. They are the reiuanin united on this. They are the reigning British United on this. They are the reigning british womens i united on this. They are the reigning british Womens BasketballLeague Champions and have never been afraid to make a stand, recently changing the wording on their shots in support of the black lives matter movement. They will not play in any fixtures until mid february, a decision taken independently of other clubs. We decision taken independently of other clubs. Decision taken independently of other clubs. ~. ,. , other clubs. We are leaders, we do what we think other clubs. We are leaders, we do what we think is other clubs. We are leaders, we do what we think is right other clubs. We are leaders, we do what we think is right and other clubs. We are leaders, we do what we think is right and rob what we think is right and rob continue what we think is right and rob continue to do that. Were not telling continue to do that. Were not telling anyone else what they should do but telling anyone else what they should do but we telling anyone else what they should do but we will not ride the wave. Elite do but we will not ride the wave. Elite sports does not give you exemptions elite sports does not give you exemptions from elite sports does not give you exemptions from catching elite sports does not give you j exemptions from catching the elite sports does not give you exemptions from catching the virus or spreading exemptions from catching the virus or spreading it exemptions from catching the virus or spreading it so exemptions from catching the virus or spreading it so that exemptions from catching the virus or spreading it so that is exemptions from catching the virus or spreading it so that is no or spreading it so that is no certain or spreading it so that is no certain way or spreading it so that is no certain way we or spreading it so that is no certain way we can or spreading it so that is no certain way we can be or spreading it so that is no. Certain way we can be assured or spreading it so that is no certain way we can be assured we are not making certain way we can be assured we are not making matters certain way we can be assured we are not making matters worse. Certain way we can be assured we are not making matters worse. The certain way we can be assured we are not making matters worse. Not making matters worse. The team the suns beat not making matters worse. The team the suns beat to not making matters worse. The team the suns beat to make not making matters worse. The team the suns beat to make the not making matters worse. The team the suns beat to make the cup not making matters worse. The team the suns beat to make the cup final. The suns beat to make the cup final will take the place instead. It was a solution that was agreed by the clubs and adds the respect the
decision. With the Training Base closed the team said they will return only when it is safe to do so. Thats all from sportsday. 2,500 us troops were due to have pulled out of afghanistan this week. The beginning of the end of americas war in the country. Its like part of a deal signed between the Trump Administration and the taliban in february last year. According to which, its been agreed that all Foreign Forces will leave afghanistan this spring. Peace talks are taking place between the afghan government
and the taliban. But its unclear if and when they might result in a resolution. All this comes against the backdrop of a significant surge in violence. Dozens of afghans are being killed every day. The conflict has resulted in acute poverty and hunger. There are fears that once all International Forces leave, the taliban might be back in power in the country. I met afghanistans Vice PresidentAmrullah Saleh and began by asking him if this was the right time for us troops to be leaving. We believe the mission is not accomplished, but if they decide to leave, we respect their decision. But you wouldnt be asking for them to stay . Not necessarily, we would ask them to respect their agreements with us, they have signed a Strategic Partnership agreement with us and they have
signed a bilateral Security Agreement with us