Image source, Antonia Nicol

As restrictions tighten to France... they are easing from some African countries.

A woman from London says she's "absolutely ecstatic" to be spending Christmas with her dad in South Africa after taking a "risk" it would be taken off the red list and getting on a flight.

Antonia Nicol, 50, booked the £1,600 trip when South Africa was first taken off the red list in October.

But she feared she'd be unable to go when it was added to the list again, as she'd have to pay for an expensive quarantine on her return.

However, after hearing rumours on Monday that the red list could be scrapped, Antonia decided on Tuesday to take a flight with her son.

"We were taking a risk to see my dad because he is on his own here. It's not because we needed a holiday," she said.

The UK government announced on Tuesday that South Africa and 10 other countries were indeed going to be removed from the red list, which happened at 4am on Wednesday morning.

Image source, PA Media

As we just heard, Labour accuses Chancellor Rishi Sunak of being "nowhere to be seen" while hospitality struggles in the wake of Omicron.

The Treasury responds - with a spokesperson saying Sunak is in the US on a long-planned trip "conducting government business".

Treasury sources say he's meeting tech and business leaders to discuss the recovery of the economy.

Read more on the fallout of Omicron for hospitality here: 'I've had 3,200 bookings cancelled at my pubs'.

Image source, Getty Images

If you were following the Downing Street news conference yesterday, you might have heard some talk about football stadiums.

Dr Nikki Kanani, director of primary care at NHS England, advised fans going to a stadium this weekend should be going there to get a booster jab "rather than going to watch a match".

Mass vaccination centres are going to open at Wembley Stadium and at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC, within days.

But Wes Streeting, shadow health secretary, says people can still go to matches this weekend.

"Covid passes are the answer to that question," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He says supporters would be able to go to a match safely, with the reassurance that all fans will have had to have shown a negative test result or have to show they have been vaccinated.

Back to the fallout in the UK from Omicron's spread and Wes Streeting, shadow health secretary, says businesses - especially hospitality businesses - are seeing a "real plunge" in income.

He points out it's "what would normally be one of the busiest points of the year". Given that, he tells the BBC's Today programme, the government needs to respond.

But he says the chancellor is "nowhere to be seen" at a time he should be getting businesses around the table "to thrash out a package of support".

Businesses are taking a hit "through no fault of their own" and are already seeing a big impact on footfall, orders and cashflow, says Streeting.

We've also now heard from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps that the new restrictions on travelling to France from the UK will not apply to hauliers:

We've just had this reaction from Brittany Ferries about the new French restrictions on travellers from the UK.

"If confirmed, these new measures could be a hammer blow to our Christmas season.

"In the context of an Omicron variant that is passing through the French population as it is in the UK, further border controls seem as unnecessary as they are unwelcome."

Hugh Schofield
BBC News, Paris

We have more on the restrictions France is announcing on travellers. The new measures will be officially put out later, but their substance is now clear: from Saturday, people coming from the UK will be required to have a negative Covid test of less than 24 hours.

Once in France, they will have to self-isolate for a week, but that period of quarantine can be ended after 48 hours if they have a second negative test once in France.

Compelling reasons will be needed for entry, which includes visiting family - but not tourism or non-urgent work reasons.

The new measures apply to everyone regardless of whether they have been vaccinated.

The Omicron variant will have a catastrophic effect on the hospitality industry, warns chef Tom Kerridge.

He says a number of restaurants have already had to close for Christmas - traditionally one of the busiest times of the year - because of guest cancellations and staff contracting Covid.

Image source, Getty Images

There have been worries about the rising number of infections - especially of the Omicron variant - and that's led to bars and restaurants seeing a surge in cancellations.

Now business leaders have called on the government to help firms by providing support "in lockstep with future restrictions", deferring business rates and extending VAT discounts.

The Treasury says it has no plans to extend support.

On top of the economic squeeze, companies are braced for staff shortages, with some saying they are already affected by sickness.

We bring you more on the restrictions on UK travellers France has just been announcing.

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal says this morning the prime minister’s office will make “in the next few hours” announcements regarding travellers from the UK.

Attal says travellers from the UK will have to show a PCR/antigen test less than 24 hours old (as opposed to 48 hours until now).

Only French citizens returning from the UK, or British people living in France, will be allowed to come to France.

Travellers will have to give a compelling reason to be allowed to enter the country. People arriving from the UK will have to isolate at a location they choose, their isolation will end after 48 hours if they show a negative test.

And here what's been happening around the world:

• France has just announced it is to “drastically” restrict travel from the UK due to the Omicron surge
• Health officials in South Korea have responded to record daily coronavirus cases by re-imposing strict social distancing and an overnight curfew
• A right-wing Dutch MP has been ordered to delete social media posts comparing Covid restrictions to the Holocaust

• And we've taken a look at what South Africa can teach us about Omicron

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to our live page coverage this Thursday morning. Yesterday saw the highest number of daily cases recorded in the UK - so what will this mean? We'll bring you all the latest today. Here are the main news stories so far:

• The PM and Prof Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, have urged the public to be cautious if they socialise before Christmas
• The UK recorded 78,610 new Covid cases on Wednesday - the highest daily number reported since the start of the pandemic
• Prof Whitty warned more Covid records would be broken due to the Omicron variant
• Business groups say there has to be more support for industries, especially hospitality businesses, hit by cancellations and a fall in confidence
• Schools across the UK say they are prepared to switch to online learning if they have to next term, as more children stay at home because of Covid