the us figures are really bad. i was listenin: the us figures are really bad. i was listening to — the us figures are really bad. i was listening to the _ the us figures are really bad. iw—s listening to the representative, saying we might be over the worst of it and may leveling out now. but we've not seen the beginning of the end because london is pretty well resourced compared to other areas. pretty well resourced — black wool and morecambe facing very different situations. this and morecambe facing very different situations. . . and morecambe facing very different situations. , , ., situations. this is part of the roblem situations. this is part of the problem that _ situations. this is part of the problem that in _ situations. this is part of the problem that in the - situations. this is part of the problem that in the sense, l situations. this is part of the i problem that in the sense, it's situations. this is part of the . problem that in the sense, it's a different story and the kind of criteria are in a sense easier to trigger that fear of overwhelming in some places, you mentioned it northwest of england, john, i can think of cornwall which only has one hospitalfor think of cornwall which only has one hospital for the whole of the county, obviously other people go to plymouth, but dara for it is now facing critical emergency so that one will be closed for moving patients. but this is a dilemma for ministers. a lot of them are based in westminster most of the week, and again, trying to keep in touch, keep again, trying to keep in touch, keep a sense of what's happening in the country and something like this is quite hard, isn't it? mil country and something like this is quite hard, isn't it?— quite hard, isn't it? all 'ust say cuickl , quite hard, isn't it? all 'ust say quickly, it quite hard, isn't it? all 'ust say quickly. i am i quite hard, isn't it? all 'ust say quickly, i don't think_ quite hard, isn't it? alljust say quickly, i don't think you'll - quite hard, isn't it? alljust say| quickly, i don't think you'll have quickly, idon't think you'll have your— quickly, i don't think you'll have your conservative backbenchers being quiet on _ your conservative backbenchers being quiet on this, if they feel that their— quiet on this, if they feel that their local area is completely stuck in at risk — their local area is completely stuck in at risk i— their local area is completely stuck in at risk. i think as we've seen from _ in at risk. i think as we've seen from this— in at risk. i think as we've seen from this particular group of conservative backbenchers, they're really _ conservative backbenchers, they're really noisy and will shout for what they need — really noisy and will shout for what they need. i don't think it's the case _ they need. i don't think it's the case that— they need. i don't think it's the case that ministers are westminster based _ case that ministers are westminster based all_ case that ministers are westminster based all the time. we just have christmas, — based all the time. we just have christmas, people return to their constituency. they should have a really _ constituency. they should have a really good understanding of what's going _ really good understanding of what's going on_ really good understanding of what's going on at the moment.— going on at the moment. that's the other point. — going on at the moment. that's the other point. we _ going on at the moment. that's the other point, we have _ going on at the moment. that's the other point, we have yet _ going on at the moment. that's the other point, we have yet to - going on at the moment. that's the other point, we have yet to have i other point, we have yet to have the full impact of all the christmas revelry in the new year revelry because you get infected... tiara because you get infected... two weeks lag. _ because you get infected... two weeks leg. or — because you get infected... two weeks lag, or whatever. so - because you get infected... two weeks lag, or whatever. so howj because you get infected... two i weeks lag, or whatever. so how on earth have — weeks lag, or whatever. so how on earth have we _ weeks lag, or whatever. so how on earth have we come _ weeks lag, or whatever. so how on earth have we come to _ weeks lag, or whatever. so how on earth have we come to this - weeks lag, or whatever. so how on i earth have we come to this assertion that the party is all over and we are over the worst? i don't know. to be fair to borisjohnson, he said exactly that at the top of the news conference, he said people should not think it's over yet because it ain't over yet, so maybe share price setters take note. let's move on to the telegraph — i have one quick question before we do, have you started to think about travelling again? mr; started to think about travelling auain? ~ , . started to think about travelling auain? g . ,, ., again? my great passion in life, manchester _ again? my great passion in life, manchester city _ again? my great passion in life, manchester city fc, _ again? my great passion in life, manchester city fc, are - again? my great passion in life, manchester city fc, are playing | again? my great passion in life, - manchester city fc, are playing away at sporting lisbon, that's a prospect not next month, but 15 february. i actually pulled out of one holiday — quite frankly, a lot of other people, basically ijust couldn't be bothered with all the fuss and paperwork. i'm a technical dinosaur, i hate all that. he. fuss and paperwork. i'm a technical dinosaur, i hate allthat.— dinosaur, i hate all that. no, it's a dream. — dinosaur, i hate all that. no, it's a dream. i'm _ dinosaur, i hate all that. no, it's a dream, i'm not— dinosaur, i hate all that. no, it's a dream, i'm not actually - dinosaur, i hate all that. no, it'sl a dream, i'm not actually thought about_ a dream, i'm not actually thought about going away for the same reasons— about going away for the same reasons that i guessjohn has said. iwent— reasons that i guessjohn has said. i went to _ reasons that i guessjohn has said. i went to berlin before christmas, my brother's wedding, and it was a lot of— my brother's wedding, and it was a lot of paperwork. so i guess i'm not thinking _ lot of paperwork. so i guess i'm not thinking about it right now. but at least ou thinking about it right now. but at least you did _ thinking about it right now. but at least you did it, _ thinking about it right now. but at least you did it, you _ thinking about it right now. but at least you did it, you have - thinking about it right now. but at least you did it, you have that - least you did it, you have that wonderful memory and experience that maybe we'll keep you warm during the winter. a quick final thought, the telegraph sport's front page — a grinning novak djokovic, i don't know if this is a contemporary picture or a fall picture, he's got his medical exemption, john? suits the sto . his medical exemption, john? suits the story- he's— his medical exemption, john? suits the story. he's exempt, _ his medical exemption, john? si its the story. he's exempt, we don't know how or why because — we do know how, two independent panels have decided that he can be exempt, we don't know why he couldn't because he's already had covid? it will cause fury and he will be booed when he plays, no doubt about that, my old pal andrew castle was on the radio... he knows full well that to be the case, but he also made the point that he will be booed, that's no doubt. on the face of it, it stinks. �* . , no doubt. on the face of it, it stinks. . . , . ., . stinks. andrew castle, another great reason to respect _ stinks. andrew castle, another great reason to respect his _ stinks. andrew castle, another great reason to respect his opinion - stinks. andrew castle, another great reason to respect his opinion as - stinks. andrew castle, another great reason to respect his opinion as a . reason to respect his opinion as a west countrymen. john and kate, thank you both very much — that's shameless, isn't it? we will all be back at 11:30 p:m., the weather and sport coming up next, then we travel to singapore for newsday. good evening, this is your update from the bbc sport centre. chelsea striker romelu lukaku has apologised to his team—mates and is back in the squad for tomorrow's league cup semi final against tottenham. the belgian was dropped for chelsea's match against liverpool at the weekend, after saying in an interview that he was "not happy" under manager thomas tuchel. lukaku released a video apology to chelsea's fans, and tuchel believes it's now time to move on. for me, the most important thing was to understand and clearly understand and believe it was not intentional. he did not do this intentionally to create this kind of noise in front of a big game, and the second one was at the very first time. there was never the slightest behaviour against the team and these are very important points to stay calm and understand it is not that big as may be people want it to be or you wanted to be. it's also not small, but it's small enough to stay, to accept an apology, and to move on forward. liverpool have requested that their league cup semifinal first leg against arsenal on thursday at the emirates be postponed. the club says it's due to further covid—19 cases and player availability issues since their draw with chelsea at the weekend. liverpool have had to cancel training today. southampton have been taken over by a company backed by serbian media mogul, dragan solak. the telecoms magnate's sport republic business is buying chinese businessman gaojisheng 80% stake in the club. gao took over at st mary's in august 2017. the former majority owner, katharina liebherr, is retaining her 20% stake. newcastle united have agreed a deal to sign kieran trippier from atletico madrid. the signing is set to be the first since the saudi—backed takeover at st james�* park. newcastle have agreed to pay £12 million for the 31—year—old england international. for an initialfee of £10 million. everton have signed rangers right back nathan patterson for an initialfee of £10 million. patterson, seen here on the right training with scotland, has signed a five—and—a—half—year deal at goodison park. the 20—year—old is everton's second signing of the january transfer window, after ukrainian left back vitalyii myko—lenko. novak djokovic says he will be defending his australian open title, ending months of speculation. he'd refused to reveal his vaccination status — and every player at the event has to be fully vaccinated or have a medical exemption. djokovic announced on social media he was "heading down under with an exemption permission". our tennis correspondent russell fuller says it still isn't clear exactly what happened to get djokovic this exemption. we are told the parameters by which the two independent panels decide whether anonymous individuals to them are deserving of a medical exemption. and they are quite stringent hurdles to overcome. on the face of it, you need to have an inflammatory cardiac illness in the last three months, or have another acute medical condition. but it's not an exhaustive list. just possibly, the reason for novak djokovic�*s exemption is he's tested positive in the last six months. because under the rules, even though he is not told anybody about that, you can defer the vaccination and therefore he would be able to come into australia with an exemption to play in this open championships. a lot of the public and a lot of players will have thoughts that they will probably express. players may be a little bit more diplomatic. jamie murray was asked about it after great britain's loss in the atp cup earlier, and he said he felt if he was the one without the vaccine, he wouldn't be getting an exemption. there are some players — jamie murray's not in this bracket — who decided to have a vaccine just to compete at the australian open. and players are human beings. lots of people will be thinking, "yes, one rule for one and a different rule for another, the number one has an exemption" — but as i pointed out, it is a stringent process, and the process is meant to be anonymous. they've had lockdown is for 262 days in australia, so we have to wait and see how they greet the nine—time champion when he makes the defence of his title a couple weeks from now. cornelius kersten has become the first long track speed skater to be selected for team gb in 30 years. the 27—year—old will compete in the 1,000 and 1,500 metres in beijing next month. kersten has had a successful season, finishing 11th in the world cup series and says he's overjoyed at his selection. indicate this news today, i'm chuffed. couldn't be more happy. everything feels good, every world cup i've been able to improve either in time or ranking. so yeah, onwards and upwards. paralympicsgb have named their first athletes for the beijing games in march — a five—strong wheelchair curling team. three debutants have been selected in the squad, along with gregor ewan and hugh nibloe, who was part of the british team in pyeongchang four years ago. if we all play our best... we know that, we've got the ability, we know we are capable of it. the world championships, we finished six. but i don't think any of us will coming out of them saying we played well. so we know that going in, if we can action show up and play our a game, then there's no reason why we can't be up there in amongst the metals. we know we are capable, is just delivering the performance on ice. that's all the sport for now. for the latest on the fourth ashes test in sydney, check out the bbc sport website — that's bbc.co.uk/sport. hello there. winter has certainly staged a return after the very mild start we had to this year. temperatures over the last couple days have been dropping, and some places have seen a covering of snow. so where we have snow on the ground and where we have seen wintry showers, there's the potential for ice to take us into wednesday morning. and with this little ridge of high pressure temporarily building in, well, that means wednesday's actually going to bring a lot of fine and dry weather. the greatest risk of ice will be across northern scotland and northern ireland through the first part of the morning. we will continue to see some wintry showers here, a few, too, into wales, the southwest of england, and a few grazing the east coast of england, as well. but for most places, we go through the day and the showers become fewer and further in between, we will see more in the way of sunshine, the winds will slowly ease — but it will not be a warm day by any stretch, top temperatures between 3—9 celsius. now as we go through wednesday evening, still some showers grazing the east coast, some out west for a time. things generally will be dry with long, clear spells. cloud tending to increase across northern ireland later in the night — that will lift the temperatures a little bit here, but for most places, a very cold night, —8 likely in some sheltered rural spots in scotland. but after that cold start, we bring in this frontal system from the west on thursday. there is, associated with this, going to be a very narrow wedge of milder air. so what we will see as this front moves in is initially a spell of snow, even to quite low levels across parts of scotland and northern england seeing the rain run into the cold air. some snow over high ground in wales, perhaps into the midlands, as well. but any wintry weather tends to turn back to wet weather starts to work its way in. and then, cold air will return from the west later. it will be windy, gusts of 50—60 mph or more in some exposed western spots. and temperatures still stuck between 4—9 celsius for the most part. and then come into friday, we're back into colder air again. we will see some sunshine, but we will see some showers, too, these falling as a wintry mix of rain, sleet, and snow. it'll be a fairly breezy day in many places — our top temperatures again between 3—9 celsius. that's all from me, bye for now. welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines... inside china's latest battleground against coronavirus — a city of more than 1 million is under lockdown afterjust three reported cases. as the us hits the highest number of daily infections ever recorded anywhere in the world, president biden urges people to get vaccinated. this continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated, so we got to make more progress. uk hospitals are struggling to handle the surge in covid cases, but borisjohnson says england is in a better place compared to previous waves. with the plan b measures we introduced before christmas, we have a chance to ride out of this omicron wave without shutting down