Welcome to your early morning news briefing from The Telegraph - a round-up of the top stories we are covering on Tuesday. To receive twice-daily briefings by email, sign up to our Front Page newsletter for free.

       1. Joe Biden: The omicron variant is no cause for panic

       Joe Biden on Monday said there was "no need" for new Covid restrictions in the face of the omicron variant and its emergence was "not a cause for panic".

       Speaking from the White House, the US president predicted that cases of the variant would reach America – but added that was not a reason for another lockdown. His comments mark a contrast to the approach taken by Boris Johnson. Read the full story.

       2. Ghislaine Maxwell 'a scapegoat' for Jeffrey Epstein's crimes

       Ghislaine Maxwell is being made a scapegoat for the behaviour of a “21st century James Bond”, her lawyers claimed on Monday, as her long-awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges opened in New York.

       Jeffrey Epstein, the billionaire paedophile, was likened by her defence team to 007 in that his wealth and mystique stirred the public’s interest while his accusers shook the “money tree” for millions of dollars. Read the full story.

       3. Princes and the Press: Sussexes never intended to 'become Trappist monks and take vow of silence'

       The Duke and Duchess of Sussex never intended to “become Trappist monks and take a vow of silence” when they stepped back from their public roles, their lawyer has insisted.

       Jenny Afia, from law firm Schillings, appeared on BBC2 programme The Princes and the Press on Monday night to defend the couple against various claims made against them in the tabloid media. Read the full story.

       4. British F-35 crashed into sea after failing to take off, leaked video reveals

       An F-35 that crashed into the Mediterranean never managed to take off, footage has revealed.

       The leaked video shows the ￡100 million fighter jet accelerating up the ramp of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s flight deck, only for the pilot to eject as it reaches the top. Read the full story.

       5. MI6 needs to come out of the shadows and change culture of secrecy, warns spy chief

       MI6 needs to become “more open” and work with the private sector to keep pace with adversaries such as China, its chief will say.

       In his first public speech since taking up his role in October 2020, Richard Moore, the head of the Secret Intelligence Service, will announce a “sea-change in MI6’s culture” of secrecy that will see spies work with technology companies. Read the full story.

       Stay up-to-date with breaking news and the latest politics from The Telegraph throughout the day.