tonight at six — the uk has recorded more than 1000 daily deaths for the first time since april. at the epicentre — stretched to the limit — we report from one of london's biggest hospitals, where covid admissions have doubled in the last fortnight and staff are reaching breaking point. for another week at this rate, but after that we really need to see it slow down, or we're going to see the care we can deliver suffer, i think. 0perating theatres have been turned into intensive care units. pregnant women and cancer patients are among those being treated. this man feels lucky to be alive. you are gasping, it is like there is no oxygen around. frightening. very

frightening. very. very. 0ur medical editor fergus walsh has been given rare access to the intensive care wards for tonight's special report. this year's gcse and a level students will now be assessed by their teachers with classrooms remaining empty until at least the middle of february. as it becomes illegal to leave home in england without good reason, mps prepare to vote on the new measures tonight. 0n the dayjoe biden is set to be confirmed as next president — donald trump tells supports he will fight on and never concede the election. and changing gear in a pandemic — how one company has managed to survive by helping the most vulnerable. coming up on sportsday later in the hour on bbc news, we will look ahead to the second of the league cup semifinals. it is a manchester derby later this evening at old trafford.

good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. for the first time since april the uk has recorded more more than 1,000 daily covid—related deaths — one of the highest numbers ever recorded here. right now, london is at the epicentre of this crisis. hospitals now have more covid patients being admitted every day than they did at the peak in april. the strain on staff is intense. more and more hospital wards are being turned into intensive care units. many doctors and nurses say they're reaching breaking point. our medical editor fergus walsh has been allowed to film inside the intensive care unit at london's university college hospital — one of the busiest in the capital. i must warn you that this report filmed by adam walker, and produced by noel titheradge is shocking and upsetting.

intensive care is under pressure like never before. after christmas it just sort of like never before. after christmas itjust sort of hit me. i've seen a couple of people within a short time i spent in hospital, they didn't make it. from a relentless rise in covid admissions. how long can you keep going like this? at this pace i think we've got about a week. staff fear burn out. the nurses are broken. physical and mental load fear burn out. the nurses are broken. physicaland mental load is huge. the toll is immense. my emotions are all over the place. scared, sad, petrified. worried. this should be an operating theatre. but there is no surgery here. instead, it is being converted into an intensive care unit. the number of covid—i9 patients in london's hospitals has doubled injust

of covid—i9 patients in london's hospitals has doubled in just two weeks. they are more stretched now than at the peak last april. we have three times as many critically ill patients in this hospitals than we normally have. we have managed to stretch and spread to cover that, but that can't go on forever. intensive care is expanding across university college hospital, a children's area now for desperately sick adults. every day, more wards are being transformed into icu. ready for the next influx. but senior staff are worried. we have plans we can expand for another week at this rate but after that we really need to see it slow down. 0r we will see the care we can deliver suffer, i think. we will see the care we can deliver suffer, ithink. we we will see the care we can deliver suffer, i think. we would be running so thin on staff that we wouldn't, we physically couldn't look after critically ill patients. it will be ideal if we have more. the ventilated patients are turned twice

a day. lying on theirfront helps get oxygen to their lungs, nine staff are involved in this delicate procedure. we are going to go all over on three. 0ne, procedure. we are going to go all over on three. one, two, three. to ensure breathing tubes, drug line, all the paraphernalia of critical care are not disturbed. covid—i9 has made that winter like no other. attila karayel is 67. over over the holidays it spread through his family. i couldn't breathe at all. it knocked me out. i didn't think i would make it through. you are gasping. it is like, there is no oxygen around. and... frightening? sorry. frightening? very very frightening. very. there are three

pregnant women in intensive care. rachel is due in five weeks. every mother puts her child before herself. both she and her baby are doing well. they can't do anything that will harm the baby. 0bviously, they can't do anything that will harm the baby. obviously, and they look after my baby so well. all the time coming and checking, monitoring the baby's happy, you can't see, you're looking after two people in one. they are saving lives. the demands on staff are unrelenting. and on theirfamilies too. alice has young children, cared for by grandparents in scotland during the first peak. stage one, i sent my five and seven—year—old daughters away because we went sure how we would manage, so i had my

five—year—old in tears last night, at the thought of another lockdown, because she thought that meant i was sending her away again. she is most worried about the impact on nurses, the bedrock of care in icu. it is not uncommon at the moment i come to work, i have walked in to find nurses crying, the physical an mental load is huge, and i am really worried that we are going to break a lot of nurses. what about the doctors as well? and doctors too. intensive care nursing is highly specialised. usually they are one—to—one with patient, now responsible for three, four or five. with other staff filling the gaps. we are so stretched we are to prioritise and prioritising care is not what the nhs that i grew up in, which didn't have to choose which patient gets what care first. ashley says she has never had to make

decisions like this before. if people are asking for your help, you just don't know who to help first, the patients are losing their lives, ata the patients are losing their lives, at a dramatic speed. we are notjust getting old people. this is young people we are getting. people my age. i have reported from here several times during the pandemic and am struck by the professionalism and am struck by the professionalism and dedication of staff. but this is and dedication of staff. but this is a system under strain like never before. the warning signing here couldn't be clearer, the nhs is now on the brink. unless infection rates start to fall soon, then it could seriously impact patient care and not just for those with seriously impact patient care and notjust for those with covid. seriously impact patient care and not just for those with covidm seriously impact patient care and notjust for those with covid. it is a really serious consequences and if we get to that point we can't offer anyone icu, not just we get to that point we can't offer anyone icu, notjust covid but you know anyone who has a traffic accident, or heart attack or a stroke or whatever it is, we won't have any morka pasty to take them

for now, the trust is coping. cancer operations are continuing, most non—urgent surgery is cancelled. operations are continuing, most non-urgent surgery is cancelled. all ofa non-urgent surgery is cancelled. all of a sudden out of the blue, just covid knocked on my door, and there you go. hello gents. i am pleased i am still alive now. gerald is awaiting chemotherapy for lung cancer and had been shielding but still caught coronavirus. love you lots. love you. love you. you. he just wants to get home to his daughters. when you have young ones thatis daughters. when you have young ones that is your worry, you fight for your life, it is for them. you want to gif them a life. the next few weeks could be the biggest challenge the nhs has faced in its history. it will be its staff who will bear the brunt for all of

us. it is the rightening to see what they have to cope with there. it is the rightening to see what they have to cope with therem it is the rightening to see what they have to cope with there. it is, it is the third time i have reported from the intensive care you nit there, and this time, the staff are really shellshocked. i saw staff in tea rs, really shellshocked. i saw staff in tears, they are exhausted frankly, and although this is london, which is worst hit, it is a uk—wide problem, the figures today more than 30,000 covid patients in hospital, in the uk. at the peak in april it was 21,000. and it is absolutely vital that people treat the virus with the same seriousness they did back at the first lockdown, back at the end of march. we now have this more contagious variant of the virus, the average age of patientsing going into intensive

ca re patientsing going into intensive care is 60 but in university college hospital and in others there are pay he wants in their 20, 30s and 40s, —— patient, but the medical staff wa nted —— patient, but the medical staff wanted to reassure people that urgent care is continuing, and if you have a heart attack, or stroke, you have a heart attack, or stroke, you must seek medical treatment buzz last time people didn't, and that cost lives in itself. the same applies to lumps and bump, if you think you may have cancer street but this crisis is going to have serious consequences, long waiting lists and perhaps tonnes quality of care that can be given burr the message the staff stae wanted me to give is we are all in this together, please stay at home if you can. thank you. well, the latest government figures show there were 62,322 new coronavirus infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period — the highest number of cases reported in a single day since mass testing began. the average number

of new cases reported per day in the last week, is now 57,702. on average, over the past week there have been 27,241 covid—19 patients being treated in hospital. 1,0a1 deaths were reported, that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test — and one of the highest daily figures ever recorded in the uk. it means on average in the past week 685 deaths were announced every day. it takes the total number of deaths so far across the uk to 77,346. seven mass vaccination centres are due to open in england next week, including london's nightingale hospital at the excel centre in east london. across the uk, the government is trying to rapidly increase the number of people receiving covid—19 vaccines. but there are also calls to involve community pharmacies so that more

vulnerable people will be able to get jabs faster. 0ur health editor hugh pym reports. we are doing the left arm. vaccinations at an essex gp surgery today. more than 300 people receive the jab daily with the team working more than 13 hours a day. we are fortunate to have plenty of clinicians to do this work, and to be honest with you, this is the biggest piece of work we have done in our medical lives. it is the biggest roll—out. 84—year—old shafiq had his jab today at the surgery. he is part of the bangladeshi community that has been hard—hit by the virus. he knows people are still about having the vaccine, and with his grandson, he wants to get the message across that everyone eligible should get vaccinated. i am happy, take everybody for an injection. many, that is good for everyone. i think it is very important that people from the bangladeshi

community and other minority communities are aware of the importance of getting vaccinated, getting tested for coronavirus. as well as gp run hubs and hospitals doing jabs, big vaccination centres are being set up. one will be at london's nightingale hospital, where around 50 patients were treated during the first wave last spring. the beds and ventilators have now been moved to other hospitals. pharmacies want to play a part, vaccinating at their high street locations, and they are disappointed not to be involved so far in the plans. i think there is a sense of frustration. they have the professional, clinical competence in order to deliver vaccines safely. they do so for flu fior millions every year and they want to get involved. this is a national crisis and they feel as though they want to play their part. at least i had the chance to shake his hand. i mean, it was, at least i had that. i mean, it was, at least i had that chance.

a lot of people don't. hassan remembers his father, syed, who died last month with covid. the vaccines came just too late for him. hassan is clear about the advice he wants to give others. don't chance your life. this is a chance where you have got an opportunity to save it. you know, i would strongly advise people who are vulnerable, in that category, like my dad, to take the vaccine and protect yourselves. how are you? gps and other health workers are ready and willing to do the vaccinations. all they need is supplies of the doses to get them to the ambitious 13 million target next month. hugh pym, bbc news. this year's gcse and a level students will now be awarded grades based on teachers‘ assessments after the summer exams were cancelled. england's education secretary gavin williamson told mps that the government will "trust in teachers rather than algorithms". all gcse, as and a—level examinations have also now been cancelled in northern ireland. 0ur education editor branwenjeffreys has been speaking to some of those

affected in wolverhampton. set up for exams meant to happen today, this school cancelled them for btec students this morning, joining this year's bonfire of exams. i can confirm that gcses, a—levels and as—level exams will not go ahead this summer. this year, we are going to put our trust in teachers, rather than algorithms. but where were the details, labour asked. the secretary of state says that he will be providing support to teachers to award grades. can he tell me when they will receive the support, what form it will take and confirm that it will be available in all schools? these students came in for the cancelled btec exam. they have two weeks to make their university applications. i'm still going to keep revising because i want to learn the content because i know it's going to help me for the next steps of my life and for university.

it's important to know my grades and to find out how they will be worked out because it depends, that will determine which unis we apply for. abigail and leila are worried that gcse grades are fair. already, abigail has had to self—isolate twice. i think they should say that what everybody has been through, i think that needs to be taken into account, that some people have had more education than others and that they need to take that into account and make everybody equal, really. i just think they should take into account every single aspect that they can possibly find and try and even it out so that everybody has equal results, i guess. not equal, but as fair as it can possibly be. there is a long way to go between today's announcement and the kind of detail that schools really need. but also, a long, hard road to travel, with pupils and their parents, to win back the trust so badly damaged by the chaos last year.

you get consistent results... the man in charge of the plans is promising to listen. schools will be consulted from next week and asked what should be included when teachers calculate a grade. you will use lots of different ways of measuring, tests, homework, you will use mock exams, you will use teachers‘ observations based on classroom interactions. so, all of those things need to be combined together. but after a year of disruption, schools have a lot less to go on. this year, the students doing their gcses and a—levels have already missed out on a great deal of teaching throughout the lockdown and don't have the same wealth of data, schools won't have the same number of mock exams and assessments to go on. around the uk, exams are now cancelled. northern ireland made the decision today. everyone hoping a better solution can be found at this time. can be found this time.

bra nwen jeffreys, bbc news, wolverhampton. mps are debating the latest coronavirus restrictions for england that came into force at midnight, making it illegal to leave home without a good reason. they'll vote on the measures in the next hour, a vote the government is expected to win comfortably. all of the uk is now in lockdown, apart from the scottish islands. 0ur deputy political editor vicki young has more. an emergency return to parliament to deal with the worsening public health crisis. how long are we in this for, prime minister? the prime minister says the virus is now spreading with frightening ease and speed. so, once again, he came to ask mps to pass a law telling everyone to stay at home. the facts are changing and we must change our response, and so we have no choice but to return to a national lockdown. the law could stay in place until the end of march, past the anniversary of the first coronavirus lockdown. as was the case last spring,

emergence from the lockdown cocoon will not be a big bang, mr speaker, but a gradual unwrapping. the labour leader agrees with the tougher restrictions, but accused mrjohnson of delaying too long. this is notjust bad luck, it is not inevitable, it follows a pattern. in the first wave of the pandemic, the government was repeatedly too slow to act, and we ended 2020 with one of the highest death tolls in europe. for some protesters, the rules go too far, a curb on freedom they are unwilling to accept. police today arrested more than a dozen people in parliament square. some mps want precise criteria for leaving lockdown, when those most at risk from covid have been inoculated. 0nce we've vaccinated those four groups and they have immunity and we have taken care of 80% of the risk of death, what possible reason is there at that a point for not

rapidly relaxing the restrictions that are in place on the rest of the country? ministers have promised lockdown won't last a moment longer than necessary, but restrictions will be with us for months. ina in a votejust in a vote just over a month ago, dozens in a vote just over a month ago, d oze ns of in a vote just over a month ago, dozens of conservative mps refused to back tighter restrictions but things have changed. more people are infected and in hospital and very few are now arguing that this lockdown is unnecessary and it will be approved in the next hour. what they do want is more clarity from borisjohnson they do want is more clarity from boris johnson about they do want is more clarity from borisjohnson about exactly how he will decide when restrictions should be lifted but that is an argument for another day. vicki young, thank you. our top story this evening. the uk has recorded more than 1000 daily deaths for the first time since april, as hospitals struggle to cope with the demand. and, nearly a week on from brexit, we take a look at goods from great britain into northern ireland. and coming up on sportsday

in the next 15 minutes on bbc news, as exeter chiefs report more covid cases at the club, premiership rugby chiefs reintroduce tighter protocols around training and match days to try to keep the league going. president trump has addressed supporters outside the white house and vowed to fight on, saying he will never concede the presidential election. it comes as the democrats look set to take control of the us senate, as results come in from elections for two seats in georgia. meanwhile, lawmakers in washington are about to confirm joe biden as the next us president but a number of republican politicians say they'll formally object. 0ur north america editor jon sopel reports. if this is democracy‘s peaceful transfer of power, it doesn't feel much like it. angry trump supporters clashing with police in the nation's capital last night. tens of thousands are descending on washington at the president's

request for a day he has promised will be wild. the national guard has been called in. the fox news decision desk can now project that georgia democrat raphael warnock will unseat republican senator kelly loeffler... 0vernight, more bad news as it seems the two senate seats in georgia have gone democrat, which, if confirmed, means the republicans lose control of the upper chamber of congress. the reverend raphael warnock to become only the 11th black senator ever elected and the first african—american democrat from the south. and my mother, who, as a teenager, used to pick somebody else's cotton, the 82—year—old hands that used to pick somebody else's cotton, went to the polls and picked her youngest son... ..to be a united states senator. as the president's supporters gathered in huge numbers, the mood was restive. we hope we can turn everything around but, if we don't, you know what, we are here to support him and fight for peace

and fight for our freedom. may god bless this land, continue to bless this land. what goes on today up in congress and in the house that... the truth and justice will prevail. and some, it seems, had come prepared for a fight. we don't want violence but, you know, we are ready for it. freedom is paid for with blood, and tyranny always masquerades itself as safety and security, and that's what we are fighting against right now. what is striking about the thousands of people who have turned out today is that first and foremost their loyalty is towards donald trump and not the republican party. at the top of the party, there is a simmering fury that the president's intervention in georgia may have cost them control of the senate. and the republicans, known for their discipline, are starting to fracture. but the president's tone was pure defiance. we will never give up, we will never concede. it doesn't happen, you don't concede when there is theft involved. there is a psychodrama unfolding between the president

and his deputy mike pence. donald trump piling the pressure on for the vice president to decertify the results. a move that donald trump's own legal counsels say would be unconstitutional. this will play out at a joint session of congress. it's going to be a long and tumultuous day. jon sopel, bbc news, washington. a week after the uk's formal separation from the eu, business leaders say there've been significant problems bringing goods from great britain into northern ireland. under the agreement, northern ireland has to keep following eu rules, while the rest of the uk does not, so new paperwork is needed for goods crossing the irish sea. and as our correspondent emma vardy explains, there's been frustration for consumers. 0rdered it, placed it, took the money, got the confirmation, got everything. if lockdown means you have been doing a bit more online shopping at the moment, then spare a thought for customers in northern ireland,

who keep on finding this. one of the representatives actually telling me that they don't deliver to northern ireland. i had ordered sofa beds, tables. they said, "we think we are probably not going to be doing deliveries to the island of ireland any more." because brexit means it's now more complicated for companies in great britain to ship goods over the irish sea, a number of firms have temporarily suspended deliveries to customers in northern ireland, and others, longer term. raging, obviously, because, you know, you spend all day looking for it. and it's happened at a time when we are spending more time indoors. it's not the only teething problem. some lorry loads of food from great britain that have arrived with this logistics company in belfast this week have come without the correct documents and have been delayed at new border control posts while the red tape is sorted out. we have to remember that it's a new process and the process was only really communicated

at the last minute, so a lot of our customers have had to adapt very quickly, at probably their busiest time. and there is something a bit unusual on the shelves of northern ireland's sainsbury‘s. spar branded products instead of their own. part of a contingency plan to prevent gaps in supply. the government said that things will start to flow more normally again. the secretary of state for northern ireland, brandon lewis, has said he believes that because of northern ireland's access to both the eu and uk markets, it in fact has a unique opportunity. but there were warnings today that even large firms which are household names are still unaware of how to comply with the new rules, which is creating a backlog for hauliers. 0ne operator told me there yesterday that they had sent 285 trucks to gb. they only got 100 of those lorries back to northern ireland. they can't service ni exports going back to gb, because they've got lorries and equipment sitting in england, waiting for loads that aren't ready

yet because businesses in england, scotland and wales haven't been prepared. and from tomorrow, loads without the right documents could be sent straight back over the irish sea. emma vardy, bbc news, belfast. the french chef and restaurateur albert roux, who was credited with starting a culinary revolution in the uk with his brother michel, has died at the age of 85. the roux brothers opened le gavroche in london in 1967, the first british restaurant to gain three michelin stars. michel died last year at the age of 78. and finally, to a success story for one company which has found a way to adapt and survive during this pandemic. not only that — they have managed to do it by helping some of the people who are most vulnerable to this disease, as david sillito reports. bicycle bell. it's a bit like being on a bobsleigh. it is a bit breezy but as a form of transport, it is having its moment. it's great. you just feel very free. i have had treatment continuing

through lockdown and it is the safest way, for me. it is the only way i have travelled since march. but nine months ago, this firm was on the edge of bankruptcy. all the offices and shops it serviced had suddenly gone into lockdown. catastrophic to begin with, so 95% of our business went away overnight, absolute disaster. however, for some people who have to keep on travelling throughout lockdown, the outdoor route is... the perfect solution. for clinically extremely vulnerable people such as anita, the bike taxi has become a lifeline. i know they have got really good training so i feel really safe and it is definitely better than a bus or an uber. it's been a real pleasure to be able to help people who are extremely vulnerable to be able to travel in a way that they feel safe, in the outdoors, away from likely sources of infection.

and even as winter deepens, anita is unfazed. i know how to dress for the weather, and i've bought a blanket. david sillito, bbc news. time for a look at the weather. here's sarah keith lucas. it has been another cold day out there today. this picture comes from shoreham in west sussex and after being stuck under the cloud and drizzle for two solid days, eventually the sun broke through this afternoon. under clear skies, temperatures falling quite quickly, still in the cold air mass, the blue colour is still with us. this weather front moving into the north is quite a troublemaker this evening and overnight. we have already seen some heavy snow across the north—west of scotland and the weather front will continue slowly south—eastwards across scotland and northern ireland tonight. a of sleet and snow even to low levels, could bea and snow even to low levels, could be a couple of centimetres, ten centimetres across the highlands of

scotland. for england