to see if it's the omicron variant european ministers — minus the uk home secretary priti patel — meet for talks in calais today about how to stop migrants crossing the channel and weather warnings are still in place in parts of the uk — as the clean up from storm arwen continues hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. the uk health secretary, sajid javid, has said the government "could not have acted more swiftly" in reponse to the omicron variant of coronavirus. new rules to combat the new variant that was discovered in south africa are to be introduced after two cases were detected in essex and nottingham. from tuesday, all international travellers arriving in the country must now take a pcr test within two days, and self isolate, until they get a negative result. all those who've been in contact with someone who has the omicron variant will also have to self—isolate for ten days, regardless of whether they've been vaccinated. face coverings will once again become compulsory in shops and on public transport in england from tuesday. in scotland, wales and northern ireland they're already mandatory on public transport and in many indoor areas. katharine da costa reports. it is hard to believe just a week ago no—one had even heard of omicron, a highly mutated covid variant that may spread more rapidly and could make vaccines less effective. but with the confirmation of two cases of the variant here in the uk, concerns have escalated quickly. our scientists are learning more hour by hour and it does appear that omicron spreads very rapidly and can be spread between people who are double vaccinated. there is also a very extensive mutation which means it diverges quite significantly from previous configurations of the virus and, as a result, it might at least in part reduce the protection of our vaccines over time. four more countries in southern africa have been added to the travel red list, bringing the total to ten. from next week, there will be new targeted restrictions, all international arrivals must take a pcr test on day two and self isolate until they receive a negative result, all contacts of suspected omicron cases must self isolate regardless of their vaccine status, and in england face coverings will be mandatory in shops and on public transport as is the case already in other uk nations. the point we have at the moment is there's a lot of uncertainty about the new omicron variant and because of that uncertainty it is sensible to take a precautionary approach until we know which way things are going. the government had been criticised for being too slow to act with delta — this time they've moved quickly but the opposition thinks they could have gone further. the government's plan b has always been our plan a. - we think that mask wearing should be commonplace in public— spaces, especially indoors. we think that people should be able to work from home - where that is possible. i think we should have been doing all those things - already so of course we want them to be doing that now. _ the message is vaccines are still our best defence. mrjohnson said they plan to boost the booster campaign and would ask the jcvi whether they should be offered to all adults and if the gap should be shortened between the second and third doses. we don't yet exactly know how effective our vaccines will be against omicron, but we have good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection and, if you are boosted, your response is likely to be stronger. so it is more vital than ever that people get theirjabs and we get those boosters into arms as fast as possible. the prime minister said he thought christmas would be better than last year. the new measures will be reviewed in three weeks, by which time we should know how big a threat omicron poses and whether ministers have done enough to limit its spread. katharine da costa, bbc news. this morning, the health secretary, sajid javid reiterated that mask—wearing in shops and on the public transport will be come mandatory. earlier, our political correspondent, jonathan blake explained what the health secretary had to say on vaccines and the government's initial response. a couple of the pressing questions we are all asking, how effective will vaccines be against it? he said they remain the first line of defence, the government people to come forward as ever to get vaccine doses which they are eligible for. there will be new advice on whether to expand the boosterjabs, the third dose of the vaccine, two more adults and the health secretary said he expected that imminently so within the next couple of days, we could learn more about that. but he did say there is a chance that the vaccines may be less effective against the new omicron variant. he was also asked about measures the government is taking to contain the spread in the first instance so we are obviously in the early stages, it was found in south africa on wednesday. the government did act relatively quickly as opposed to earlier in the pandemic but still, he was pressed by andrew mark this morning on bbc one about what the government did in the first instance and whether it could have done more to stop passengers coming in from the southern african countries, spreading the new variant. all people coming from southern africa before _ people coming from southern africa before the _ people coming from southern africa before the red list was a legal requirement, first of all, they have all been _ requirement, first of all, they have all been contacted, not just all of them _ all been contacted, not just all of them but — all been contacted, not just all of them but all of those that arrived in the _ them but all of those that arrived in the test— them but all of those that arrived in the last ten days, prior to that. they— in the last ten days, prior to that. they have — in the last ten days, prior to that. they have all been asked to take tests— they have all been asked to take tests and — they have all been asked to take tests and isolate if they are positive _ tests and isolate if they are ositive. ., , ., ., positive. how did they get home from the airport? — positive. how did they get home from the airport? they _ positive. how did they get home from the airport? they would _ positive. how did they get home from the airport? they would have - positive. how did they get home from the airport? they would have got - the airport? they would have got home in the _ the airport? they would have got home in the normal— the airport? they would have got home in the normal way - the airport? they would have got home in the normal way but... . the airport? they would have got l home in the normal way but... and public— home in the normal way but... and public transport? the speed at which we were, _ public transport? the speed at which we were, it _ public transport? the speed at which we were, it is not possible to go any faster — we were, it is not possible to go any faster. to we were, it is not possible to go any faster-— any faster. to be clear, you did not test them as _ any faster. to be clear, you did not test them as they _ any faster. to be clear, you did not test them as they came _ any faster. to be clear, you did not test them as they came into - test them as they came into heathrow? then they were allowed to disperse around the country without being tested. the dutch experience is anything to go by, 10% of them had the new variant? h is anything to go by, 1096 of them had the new variant?— is anything to go by, 1096 of them had the new variant? i don't want to “um to had the new variant? i don't want to jump to conclusions _ had the new variant? i don't want to jump to conclusions about _ had the new variant? i don't want to jump to conclusions about the - had the new variant? i don't want to j jump to conclusions about the dutch experience, i think there's a lot we don't _ experience, i think there's a lot we don't know— experience, i think there's a lot we don't know about what is happening and what _ don't know about what is happening and what is — don't know about what is happening and what is happening certainly in other— and what is happening certainly in other countries. what we do know is much _ other countries. what we do know is much more — other countries. what we do know is much more about our own country. and ithink— much more about our own country. and i think that _ much more about our own country. and i think that speed at which we acted at could _ i think that speed at which we acted at could not have been any faster. in at could not have been any faster. in terms— at could not have been any faster. in terms of— at could not have been any faster. in terms of those people that may have already arrived from southern africa _ have already arrived from southern africa before the rules changed, i think— africa before the rules changed, i think the — africa before the rules changed, i think the appropriate and right thing _ think the appropriate and right thing to— think the appropriate and right thing to do was to contact them all and make — thing to do was to contact them all and make sure they are taking tests and make sure they are taking tests and seit— and make sure they are taking tests and self isolating if necessary and that is— and self isolating if necessary and that is exactly what we have done. the health — that is exactly what we have done. the health secretary also confirmed it would be a legal requirement to wear a face covering in england on public transport and in shops, that brings it into line with the rest of the uk for face coverings are a legal requirement in certain settings. on whether the government by go further, for example asking more people to work from home are introducing other social distancing measures, sajid javid said he was not at that stage. that was not something that was of interest to him so pretty clear indication there that at least the government does not want to go and does not expecting to go any further in terms of restrictions in the near future. and apparently, we can all still look forward to christmas. i and apparently, we can all still look forward to christmas. i think he said it was _ look forward to christmas. i think he said it was going _ look forward to christmas. i think he said it was going to _ look forward to christmas. i think he said it was going to be - look forward to christmas. i think he said it was going to be a - look forward to christmas. i think he said it was going to be a greatj he said it was going to be a great christmas. but what about political support for these measures, broadly? are the other parties in support? labour says the government should be going further. they said banditry face coverings should be a part of the plant a which the government set out earlier in the you're in which was in force before these new came in. they also argue that other measures such as encouraging more people to work from home and covid—19 passports as well which are part of plan b which has not been fully implemented should now be in place. they are also asking questions about the detail, particularly around the pcr tests which will be a requirement for travellers coming to the uk, how they will be managed, enforced, and to what extent they will be effective if people are left to their own judgment and responsibility to their ownjudgment and responsibility to do that. that their own judgment and responsibility to do that. that was jonathan blake. _ as we've heard, there are new rules for people arriving in the uk — our business correspondent, caroline davies has been explaining what will happen we know pcr testing will come in from next week for all uk arrivals. there is confusion over which state that will come in from, some previous suggestions from the health secretary they are planning for it to be around tuesday but nothing absolutely confirmed but interesting earlier today a government website did put a warning of an important message across people who were filling in the passenger locator form which is of course the form everyone who comes into the country has to fill in which said it would be coming in from 4am tuesday. we have not had official government recognition that is the exact date it will definitely come in from but we will bring you more information as we find that out. pcr testing coming back in for international arrivals. that was only phased out at the end of last month. the 24th of october for england, the 31st for scotland, wales and northern ireland, a relatively recent change to move away from pcr testing to lateral flow testing. lateral flow tests are cheaper but the disadvantage is they cannot be sequenced to be able to identify the variant. they were originally phased out a month or so ago. because the suggestion was with no variants of concern that we knew were circulating there was not necessarily a need to be able to identify it. some epidemiologists said that this was too early, obviously the point of having these pcr tests on entry was that you were able to identify these variants as they come in and that there is a sort of essentially waves of red flags as soon as someone arrives in the country but other people said without any variance of concern, currently circulating around the world, there was no need for it, they were expensive, people would take a lateral flow test and if they tested positive for that they would take a pcr test. we are now going back to pcr test to make sure the government can keep an eye on any variance coming into the country, ideally as soon as they arrive. more broadl in ideally as soon as they arrive. more broadly in terms _ ideally as soon as they arrive. more broadly in terms of _ ideally as soon as they arrive. more broadly in terms of business - ideally as soon as they arrive. more broadly in terms of business and hospitality and the retail sector, they are going to be worried about christmas, the run—up to christmas? out as all of this going to impact christmas? we heard from sajid javid saying it will be a great christmas, borisjohnson said yesterday it will be better than last year. but there will be concern that this new variant is going to lock things and knock things off track. {iii variant is going to lock things and knock things off track.— variant is going to lock things and knock things off track. of course at this sta . e knock things off track. of course at this stage it _ knock things off track. of course at this stage it is _ knock things off track. of course at this stage it is mostly _ knock things off track. of course at this stage it is mostly about - knock things off track. of course at this stage it is mostly about a - this stage it is mostly about a crisis of confidence, that people feel like things are changing, they might not make the same plans they would have done if they felt more confident that the virus and life was getting back to some form of normality. that is the major concern for a lot of industries and hospitality, they want people to make plans and be out enjoying their services and people start feeling a lack of confidence, then maybe they might change their behaviourjust at this crucial and important time in the run—up to christmas. that will be viable going through a lot of business as mine is, how will behaviour start to change in the run—up to christmas? that will be all about over the next few days, the more information we get about the more information we get about the variant, how it spreads, how much of a risk this new variant will be and how people are feeling about it. well, as has been mentioned, 61 people who arrived in amsterdam on two flights from south africa on friday are infected with covid—19 and have been placed into isolation. they were among 600 passengers who were held for several hours after arrival while they were tested for the virus. the dutch health authorities are conducting further testing to see if any of them are carrying the recently discovered �*omicron' variant — now classed as a variant of concern. earlier, i spoke to the bbc�*s anna holligan, who's outside schipol airport in amsterdam. those passengers are being held in isolation in a hotel or at home not farfrom here. the ministry of health last night confirmed it suspected some of those passengers are indeed carrying the new variant, omicron. we are expecting confirmation later today, further sequencing tests are taking place. but flights are continuing to land, one due in from johannesburg in about an hour and another from cape town. i spoke to the airport earlier today and they said as soon as those passengers land, they will be subjected to pcr tests right away. these arrivals are causing a lot of concern in the netherlands, facing record—breaking infection rates and, of course, today, new measures are coming into place to try to stop the hospitals here from becoming overwhelmed. those people, when they arrived, there was quite a lot of consternation, wasn't there? they didn't know what was going on, they didn't feel like they were being properly informed? precisely. the airport told us this was an extraordinary situation and they are evaluating how it is being handled. today, a lot of the places people are hoping to visit will be closing early because under these new measures, bars, restaurants, cafes, nonessential shops, will all have to close at five o'clock in the afternoon until five o'clock in the morning. amateur sports, too. this is the time of year when so many businesses were hoping to recover some of the costs lost during the pandemic, but these measures are considered to be critical. because record—breaking infection rates, another 22,000 new cases diagnosed yesterday, icus overwhelmed, and now looking at this new variant possibly running wild. ministers from belgium, germany and the netherlands are expected in calais today, to discuss the growing risks of migration across the channel. the meeting comes after at least 27 people died trying to reach uk shores on wednesday. the home secretary, priti patel, was due to join the meeting but was disinvited amid growing diplomatic tensions, as our france correspondent lucy williamson reports. they say that people smugglers are the enemy but the fight is pushing london and paris apart. this is not really a bilateral issue, france says. the uk must talk to the eu as a whole. but today, the eu will be talking together while london has been left out into the cold. more than half the people in migrant camps here have come from belgium, the government says, in search of the shortest route across the channel to british shores. a few miles from these sodden tents, france's interior minister will meat colleagues from belgium, germany, the netherlands and the eu today to discuss how to tackle the people smuggling networks. the uk's absence highlights the tension this issue is causing. british politicians used to remind their european counterparts during brexit negotiations that the uk was not leaving europe, just leaving the eu. what that distinction means for managing cross channel migration is still being hammered out. lucy williamson, bbc news, calais. we can speak now to dr shannon pfohman from the charity caritas europa. they provide help for people in migrant camps in calais. they also lobby european politicians about issues that affect them. thank you for being with us. what is the latest situation, would you say, in the calais area in terms of migrants, still wanting, despite those terrible drownings last week to get across the channel to the uk? thank you for having me. the situation in calais remains very difficult. and has been for years. previously there were the jungle camps with makeshift centres or places for people to sleep. members of our charity have been actively trying to support those people in need, providing basic resources such as food and warm clothing, especially during the cold season now. it's untenable. and with the spread of covid—19, it is really not able to maintain hygienic standards to protect people also and so, hopefully, more can be done to protect these people in need. we step in where we can but surely the legislation needs to change so people actually can travel and apply for asylum and take advantage of the geneva convention and the rules that are in place?— are in place? what is drawing them still to the united _ are in place? what is drawing them still to the united kingdom, - are in place? what is drawing them still to the united kingdom, do - are in place? what is drawing them still to the united kingdom, do youj still to the united kingdom, do you think, to british shores? because they have seen what has happened last week, 27 people drowning, they know how dangerous thatjourney is and yet, it appears people still want to make thatjourney? and yet, it appears people still want to make that journey? want to make that “ourney? well, from our want to make that journey? well, from our perspective _ want to make that journey? well, from our perspective we - want to make that journey? vii from our perspective we generally think many of the migrants feel they have no choice. their living situation in calais is so dire that it is not tenable, it is not sustainable. it is really, really horrible. undignified conditions. and when many, many of the people that are considering travelling, they are unaccompanied, minor children. they might not have all the information that they need. to realise what rights they have. but more importantly, they have family members in the uk or they have networks and contacts with whom they could then stay and seek support. and so, this idea of trying to travel to the uk to be reunited with close people that they know is april, for certain and so the situation remains a desperate attempt to have a more dignified life and be surrounded by people they can trust. and one of the big challenges especially when it comes to the unaccompanied minor children, they do not trust the authorities. they do not believe anyone because their situation along the migration journey has already been so devastating that it's really kind of a survival of the fittest mode where they are just doing what they can to get by, one day to the next. brute they are just doing what they can to get by, one day to the next. we have not this get by, one day to the next. we have got this meeting _ get by, one day to the next. we have got this meeting of _ get by, one day to the next. we have got this meeting of ministers - get by, one day to the next. we have got this meeting of ministers in - got this meeting of ministers in calais today. british minister as we have heard has been this invited but what would you say to the ministers who are meeting? what kind of solutions would you like them to come up with? for solutions would you like them to come up with?— solutions would you like them to come up with? for years, we have been advocating _ come up with? for years, we have been advocating on _ come up with? for years, we have been advocating on behalf - come up with? for years, we have been advocating on behalf of - come up with? for years, we have been advocating on behalf of the l been advocating on behalf of the migrants in need and one of the main asksis migrants in need and one of the main asks is that they make sure people can continue to apply for asylum and access protection at the borders. all measures to stop push backs, to prevent people from applying for protection must cease. so that people can really take advantage of international law and have access to basic asylum rights. in addition, there needs to be humanitarian access granted so organisations like ours should be able to provide these basic resources and survival kits to the people come without fear of criminalisation, which is becoming a greater issue, especially in the uk and france. where the idea of penalising people seeking protection but arriving to countries and entering what the policymakers decide is deemed irregularly or illegally, we believe is not illegal, everyone has the right to move from one country to the next, to leave their territories. and the reality is that if they had more legal access to apply for asylum, none of this would be happening. so certainly, greater protections need to be put in place to protect international laws and the asylum decree. . ~ international laws and the asylum decree. ., ,, , ., international laws and the asylum decree. ., ,, international laws and the asylum decree. . ~' . people in honduras are going to the polls in a general election to elect a president and members of the national congress. there's instability in the central american nation after the current president, juan orlando hernandez, was named as part of a drug trafficking ring by the usjustice department. many analysts fear a repeat of the events of four years ago, when accusations of voter fraud led to violent street protests. our central america correspondent, will grant, reports. it is one of the most closely watched and eagerly anticipated elections in honduras in decades. voters in the impoverished central american nation have the chance to make their voices heard after some of the toughest years they've ever been through and many expect them to call for change. that could again open the door to the presidential palace to the former first lady, xiomara castro. standing on a platform of democratic socialism, she plans to decriminalise abortion, bring down soaring utility bills and create an anti—corruption commission. "come on, people, let's go together," she said to her supporters as she closed her campaign. urging people to overthrow the dictatorship. specifically, she was referring to the country's controversial president, juan orlando hernandez, and his powerful national party. mr hernandez, who many accuse of stealing the last election, has been embroiled in a series of corruption scandals, with his brother serving life imprisonment in the united states on drug trafficking charges. although he denies any wrongdoing himself, president hernandez may need a national party win to protect him from extradition. however, his party's candidate, the mayor of tegucigalpa, nasry asfura, has distanced himself from the tainted leader. translation: | am different | because of my work, my effort, my way of doing things, of doing politics. hondurans have been hit especially hard by the economic downturn from covid and from extreme weather events like the powerful storms eta and iota, which battered the nation last year. as a result, migration to the us has skyrocketed. the vote will be held against that backdrop of deep poverty and exhaustion with the political classes. amid the high security and tension, most hondurans simply hope the vote count is transparent and the result respected by all sides. will grant, bbc news, tegucigalpa. the women's tennis association says it remains concerned about chinese tennis star, peng shuai's ability to communicate freely, openly, and directly. ms peng disappeared from public view for three weeks after accusing a top government official of sexual assault. on saturday, wta chairman and ceo steve simon, said he would not engage in further email communications with her because it was �*clear her responses were influenced by others.�* in a statement regarding the comments, the wta said: they "remain deeply concerned that peng is not free from censorship or coercion and decided not to re—engage via email until satisfied her responses were her own, and not those of her censors." the australian government is to introduce anti—troll legislation to make social media services, such as facebook and instagram, liable for hurtful comments published on their platforms. the new law will introduce a complaints mechanism, requiring the companies to take down material in which someone believes they are being defamed, bullied or attacked. if the content is not withdrawn, a court process could force a social media platform to provide details of the person who posted the material. it's home to some of the world's best surfers and dishes up some of the best waves on the planet but brazil isn'tjust about epic battles in the world surf league — this next event got tails wagging. tanya dendrinos has more. cheering. these beaches are famed the world over. so why not catch a wave with your best friend? translation: his happiness on the board started gaining | other people's attention. my dog has such a good time on the board. brazil is synonymous with surfing and it was the pups that reign supreme in the surf dog festival. hanging ten alongside their owners. translation: once more we have proven that it is possible to have i humans and pets interacting on the beach and dog surfing is a good sport. after winning silver and bronze at the world championships, this very good girl was crowned top dog. translation: i'm really excited, | i'm very grateful for being here | and having won this title. they might not be able to throw up a shaka sign but if tail wags are anything to go by, this sport mayjust continue growing in popularity. tanya dendrinos, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with ben storm arwyn has caused so much disruption throughout the uk. here is ben reg. after the disruption caused by storm arwyn, today is a much lighter fare, caused by storm arwyn, today is a much lighterfare, lots caused by storm arwyn, today is a much lighter fare, lots of autumn sunshine, wintry showers giving some snow over higher grounds, reaching relatively low levels in wales, the west midlands, some snow mixing with showers across eastern parts of england. one or two showers for scotland and northern ireland, mainly dry and bright here, temperatures between 2 and a decrease in most places. tonight we see wintry showers affecting eastern england, at the same time this band of cloud and patchy rain moves in to northern ireland and western scotland, snow on the leading edge as it runs into cold air, most of the starting monday with a frost, northern ireland and western scotland starting milder and as this band of cloud and patchy rain sinks south—eastward through the day, we introduce westerly winds and milder air. temperatures in belfast and glasgow 10 tomorrow afternoon, compared to 4 or five for hull and norwich. hello, this is bbc news with ben brown. the headlines... the uk government promises it will be christmas as normal despite the discovery of the omicron variant of coronavirus. from tuesday, people in england will once again have to wear masks in shops and on public transport. israel will ban the entry of all foreigners for two weeks to try to prevent the spread of the new omicron variant — one case has so far been confirmed in the country. dozens of people who arrived at amsterdam's schipol airport from south africa on friday have covid—19. dutch health authorities are testing to see if it's the omicron variant. european ministers — minus the uk home secretary priti patel — meet for talks in calais today about how to stop migrants crossing the channel. now on bbc news, it's time for dateline london with shaun ley.