evidence _ that it seems all the scientific evidence points to a milder variant in europe — evidence points to a milder variant in europe being mainly made up of weatthier— in europe being mainly made up of wealthier nations is in the lucky situation — wealthier nations is in the lucky situation of having brought out vaccine — situation of having brought out vaccine programmes and so, and has better— vaccine programmes and so, and has better immunity and protection for populations begins covid—19 and we have not— populations begins covid—19 and we have not so— populations begins covid—19 and we have not so far seen health services being _ have not so far seen health services being overwhelmed in the way that they were — being overwhelmed in the way that they were threatened to have been with earlier variance like the delta variant. but still, but to speaks to the transmissibility of omicron that half the _ the transmissibility of omicron that half the population to be infected in a matter ofjust eight weeks. thats— in a matter ofjust eight weeks. that's moved one very different story, we have found one. there is one out there. on the guardian on the front page. safety fears the roll—out of smart motorways. following smart motorways, tell us about it, please. neither have i. but in ten o'clock, this is the idea that we can increase the capacity of motorways by using the hard shoulder and making adjustments to use that as an additional lane. plans to introduce smart motorways have been delayed past 2025 because of concerns from safety campaigners and members of parliament. as a great fear that cars will have no are safe and to pull over in the event of a breakdown. in and to pull over in the event of a breakdown-— and to pull over in the event of a breakdown. in the b of a situation where you — breakdown. in the b of a situation where you will— breakdown. in the b of a situation where you will have _ breakdown. in the b of a situation where you will have polyps - breakdown. in the b of a situation| where you will have polyps caused breakdown. in the b of a situation i where you will have polyps caused by stationary vehicles. so the plan to increase the capacity to reduce delays and travel times has been abandoned due to major safety concerns. abandoned due to ma'or safety concerns. , , , ., concerns. this gives us time to look at the final — concerns. this gives us time to look at the final story _ concerns. this gives us time to look at the final story of _ concerns. this gives us time to look at the final story of the _ concerns. this gives us time to look at the final story of the day, - concerns. this gives us time to look at the final story of the day, which i at the final story of the day, which is what i want to do. a small story on the front page of the guardian. how addicted you both are that i have become in the last five days. it's the creator of the hit game overwhelmed by success. the problem on this front page that it gives away the solution to today's puzzle, if anyone hasn't done it in minutes. there we go. if you haven't done it, thatis there we go. if you haven't done it, that is today's solution. do you play? i that is today's solution. do you .la ? ., �* that is today's solution. do you .la 7 ., �* , that is today's solution. do you .la 7 ., r , ., that is today's solution. do you -la ? ., . , ., , ., play? i do. a bit more the update, i've onl play? i do. a bit more the update, we only been _ play? i do. a bit more the update, i've only been doing _ play? i do. a bit more the update, i've only been doing it _ play? i do. a bit more the update, i've only been doing it for - i've only been doing it for four days — i've only been doing it for four days. very— i've only been doing it for four days. very typical for me to be behind — days. very typical for me to be behind the zeitgeist, but i'm addicted. it isjust so simple and clever— addicted. it isjust so simple and clever and — addicted. it isjust so simple and clever and has a few rules but it is a great _ clever and has a few rules but it is a great game, beating competing against _ a great game, beating competing against my husband? who a great game, beating competing against my husband?— a great game, beating competing i against my husband?_ we a great game, beating competing - against my husband?_ we are against my husband? who wins? we are fairl even against my husband? who wins? we are fairly even at — against my husband? who wins? we are fairly even at the _ against my husband? who wins? we are fairly even at the minute. _ against my husband? who wins? we are fairly even at the minute. i _ against my husband? who wins? we are fairly even at the minute. i did _ against my husband? who wins? we are fairly even at the minute. i did my - fairly even at the minute. i did my first one today _ fairly even at the minute. i did my first one today and _ fairly even at the minute. i did my first one today and in _ fairly even at the minute. i did my first one today and in part - fairly even at the minute. i did my| first one today and in part because i couldn't work out why everyone on twitter was just tweeting these pictures of little grey, orange and green boxes. i had to look at what he meant. but the fact that it's kind of anti—social media in the sense that you can't get addicted to it. they're only ever one a day. that is the problem. there's only one. ., , ., ., ., one. you “ust have to wait because it's a one. you just have to wait because it's a matter _ one. you just have to wait because it's a matter of _ one. you just have to wait because it's a matter of minutes _ one. you just have to wait because it's a matter of minutes before - one. you just have to wait because it's a matter of minutes before the j it's a matter of minutes before the next one and 2a hours comes up. looking back to the beginning of the pandemic, wrapping this all back to where we were. thinking about how useful this game might have been in that march and april .2 2020 when we were all and lucked out. i don't know what we're doing back then. off—line crosswords or someone. this would've been useful back then. figs off—line crosswords or someone. this would've been useful back then. first would've been useful back then. as i remember at — would've been useful back then. as i rememberat the beginning, it would've been useful back then. as i remember at the beginning, it was assumed _ remember at the beginning, it was assumed quizzes that were all the rage _ assumed quizzes that were all the rage i_ assumed quizzes that were all the rage. i think after a while, people -ot rage. i think after a while, people got fed _ rage. i think after a while, people got fed up— rage. i think after a while, people got fed up with socialising with friends of the screens and perhaps that is— friends of the screens and perhaps that is why— friends of the screens and perhaps that is why we retreated to solo gaming — that is why we retreated to solo gaming but they reflect this. —— with things like this. that's it for the papers this hour. keziah and lucy will be back again at 11:30pm. goodbye for now. hello, i'm tt and this is your sports news where we start in the premier league and southampton have climbed to 11th after a 4—1 win at home to brentford. the saints got on the scoresheet early with jan bednarek heading in from a james ward prowse corner after just five minutes, before brentford found an equaliser through vitaly janelt. an alvaro fernandez own goal had the hosts ahead at half time before two more second half goals including one from che adams secured the win. and one game in the championship, reading lost 7—0 at home to fulham, harry wilson and alexandra mitrovic scoring two each as the cottagers move back above blackburn and into the automatic promotion positions. philippe coutinho has been presented in an aston villa shirt for the first time, following his loan move from la liga club barcelona. the brazilian will make his premier league return, linking up with his former liverpool team mate steven gerrard — who is now in charge at villa park. the 29—year—old will wear the number 23 shirt until the end of the season. stadiums in scotland will be returning to full capacity next week after the country's first minister announced limits on outdoor crowds will be removed. rugby fans will be happy with this news — with the six nations starting next month. last month the scottish premiership brought its winter break forward after the government capped attendances at 500, while other leagues continued with restricted numbers. nicola sturgeon also added that organisers of events will have to check the certification status of at least 50% of attendees. livingston have welcomed the news ahead of their game at home to dundee next week. from our perspective, it was really positive in a few weeks ago, we decided to move this forward, this is what we wanted to do it and i think over the past couple of years, fans of had a rough field through the pandemic. so, the little things we can do to help them move on, it is good but full capacity which a couple weeks ago we moved on through the winter break. it's ben another busy day at the africa cup of nations. algeria began the defence of the title with a disappointing goalless draw against sierra leone — a great result for the leone stars, in theirfirst nations cup since 1996. the three time champions nigeria were up against the most successful nation in the history of the tournament, seven time winners egypt. nigeria were the better side and scored the only goal of the game — a superb strike from leicester's kelechi iheanacho taking the win in group d as liverpool's mo salah was kept quiet by the super eagles. while in the same group guinea bissau missed a chance to beat sudan when pele saw his 82nd minute penalty saved by ali abou achrine, the crossbar was then hit in chaotic scenes but the ball failed to find the net as the keeper salvaged a point for his side having given the penalty away initially. novak djokovic has been back out on the court in his prepartions for next week's australian open. with no decision from the country's immigration officer on his visa. border control are also investigating whether the world number one made a false declaration on his immigration form over his travel history immediately before arriving in melbourne. the draw for the tournament takes place on thursday. mark cavendish says he has no choice but to get on with life, after a burglary and assault at his home in november. he was attacked by armed men while he was recovering from injury, while his wife and children were threatened. he says he wants to spend more time with his family, but he's pleased to be preparing for the new season. people have had worse setbacks than i've had. and it is how you deal with them that matters the most. unfortunately, things happen, things continue to happen, you have to try and get on with things, bounce back, and i think that's the way you can go forward. lewis hamilton will not decide whether to return to formula i this season until he sees the results of an inquiry into the abu dhabi grand prix. mercedes team boss toto wolff has said hamilton has become ”disillusioned" with fi, as a result of last year's title—deciding race. hamilton lost the championship to red bull's max verstappen after fia race director michael masi did not apply the rules correctly in a late safety—car period. at the masters snooker, ronnie o'sullivan lived up to his nickname of the rocket by beating jack lisowski six frames to one. the number four seed was in good form, finishing with a break of i25 to comfortably make it through to the quarter finals where he'll face neil robertson on thursday. i felt like i ifelt like i had to i felt like i had to deliver ifelt like i had to deliver and if ifelt like i had to deliver and if i did not, i would've felt bad. i feel like the fence and supported me and if you like you need to give them something back if i did not deliver, i would've felt very disappointed in myself. so, that is a huge pressure and i'm just pleased that i'm able to deliver under that sort of pressure, you know. new zealand batsman ross taylor had the perfect ending to his test career as he took the winning wicket in the second test against bangladesh in christchurch. taylor is known for his batting rather than his bowling and he'd only taken two wickets in 112 test matches before this. it meant new zealand drew the two match series 1—1 and taylor got a hero's exit. and finally, some big transfer news injapan, kazu—yoshi miura has signed for fourth tier side suzuka point getters at the age of 5a. �*king kazu' — as he's known — willjoin the club managed by his brother on a loan deal from yokohama fc. incredibly this will be his 37th season as a professional footballer. he became the oldest player to feature in the j—league last year and also holds the record for the oldest player to score a goal. he turns 55 next month.kazuyoshi miura will continue his professional he turns 55 next month. and that's all the sport for now. hello. sunshine returned to the northern half of the uk into the rest of this week, will continue to see differences north and south. england and wales, the winds are going to be much lighter, so we're more likely to have some frost here and increasing amounts of mist and fog, too. now it was pretty damp and grey for many southern parts of the uk on tuesday, but all that low cloud and damp weather is heading out into the english channel, so clearer skies are following on behind. and, whilst it's chilly across parts of scotland and northern ireland, a frost is more likely in england and wales. notjust that, but we're seeing some mist and fog developing — particularly in this area where we have the yellow warning from the met office. and, within that area, there are some very busy roads — so with some dense patches of fog, driving conditions could be tricky in the morning. that's when we'll still have some fog around, but it should gradually lift through the day, and for many parts, we should see some sunshine coming through. some sunshine across northern ireland, southern and eastern scotland — much more cloud across the northwest of scotland, although it should be largely dry. quite windy, mind you, and temperatures probably reaching double figures in the north of scotland, nearer 7—8 celsius, i think, for england and wales, even with some sunshine. and we've got milder conditions across northern areas because we've got these strong winds coming all the way across the atlantic, around the top of this area of high pressure. and underneath that area of high pressure, this is where we're seeing the frost and the fog. so we start with another frost again on thursday morning, we may well find the fog a little more widespread, notjust across some southern parts of england and the midlands, maybe into parts of wales and across northern england for a while. some of that could linger into the afternoon, but for many places, again, we should see some sunshine coming out. and it's a similar story again across scotland and northern ireland — cloudier weather in the north west of scotland, a little bit damp, as well. still those temperature contrast really north—south across the uk. where that fog is slow to lift, it will be quite a cold day. all that cold air is stuck underneath this area of high pressure. stagnant air, really, so fog is tending to become more widespread. and it may well drift its way up into parts of northern ireland and southern scotland. most of the fog, though, on friday will be across england and wales, and it could linger into the afternoon. some sunshine away from that fog and low cloud. and again, it'll always be milder across more northern parts of scotland. welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines... the us once again breaks the world record for daily covid cases — and record numbers are in hospital with covid, too. a downing street drinks party when large gatherings were banned. anger from families who were unable to be with loved ones when they died. people died sticking to the rules, and they broke those rules to have a bottle of wine. questions raised about whether novak djokovic made a false declaration on his border entry form for australia. we'll have the latest from melbourne. and a medicalfirst in america, where doctors have transplanted