for at least another a0 people. now omicron has decimated their quotas. we are in a position where everybody isn't going to get the care they need. we aren't going to be able to provide care for everybody that needs it. that obviously a major worry. people are unable to be sent back home if they are unwell enough. it is a real worry. to try to keep vital services like hospitals open, public sector leaders are being asked to make contingency plans for having ten, 20 or even up to 25% of their staff off at any one time and solutions to that could involve drawing on pools of former workers, former teachers and schools, or

prioritising certain services. shortages are hitting the hospitality industry. this popular italian restaurant had to close over christmas because staff became ill. we got to a point where we were very short—staffed but managed to work the rotor and get the remaining staff to pick up shifts but around the 22nd we finally reach the critical mass of casualties and of 2a staff we ended up with just five, me included. 24 staff we ended up with “ust five, me included.— 24 staff we ended up with 'ust five, me included.— me included. when it comes to businesses _ me included. when it comes to businesses such _ me included. when it comes to businesses such as _ me included. when it comes to businesses such as restaurantsj me included. when it comes to - businesses such as restaurants and bars, businesses across the uk are being asked to look atjust how bad things could get in to work out what they need to keep going through this time. laboursays they need to keep going through this time. labour says this announcement shows the government is leaving contingency planning to the very last moment. the most recent restrictions on england set out in the government's plan b are expected to be reviewed this week. because it

is the holiday period the government's latest coronavirus figures are not complete but there were 137,583 new infections recorded in the latest 2a—hour period in england and wales alone. 73 deaths were recorded, of people who died within 28 days of a positive test in england and wales. 0ur political correspondentjoins us now and the government still saying nothing on the date at warrant further restrictions at the moment but an important review this week. exactly, there is a reviewer— important review this week. exactly, there is a reviewer coming _ important review this week. exactly, there is a reviewer coming up - there is a reviewer coming up possibly on wednesday, the three—week review from those plan b measures brought in mid—december, so working from home, facemasks, covid passes. that review is coming in the middle of the week and you will see what happens but all the messages from the government are that the data we have at the minute shows no need for further restrictions but the data is changing by the day and

of course it will change what happens over the christmas and new year period. health bosses are saying they are under real pressure right now. so the instincts of the government has to wait until this restrictions would last up until the end ofjanuary, or the measures we have at the minute. no new restrictions but it all depends what the figures show.— the figures show. south africa's houses of _ the figures show. south africa's houses of parliament _ the figures show. south africa's houses of parliament in - the figures show. south africa's houses of parliament in cape i the figures show. south africa's i houses of parliament in cape town have been severely damaged by a fire which tore through the building after its sprinkler system failed to activate. it was described as a devastating event by the country's president. an investigation is under way and a 51—year—old man has been held for questioning. 0ur southern africa correspondence enters this report. a historic building on fire. plumes of smoke engulfing south africa's parliament. more than 60

firefighters battling to extinguish the blaze. the fire started on the third floor offices and quickly spread to the national assembly chamber. the damage is extensive and there are fears some parts of the structure built in the late 1800s could collapse. the structure built in the late 1800s could collapse.— could collapse. the entire parliamentary _ could collapse. the entire parliamentary complex i could collapse. the entire l parliamentary complex and could collapse. the entire _ parliamentary complex and severely damaged. waterlogged and smoke damaged. waterlogged and smoke damaged. there is going to be damage extensively. the roof above the old assembly chamber, assembly hall, is completely gone. assembly chamber, assembly hall, is completely gone-— completely gone. many high profile south african _ completely gone. many high profile south african politicians _ completely gone. many high profile south african politicians including l south african politicians including president cyril ramaphosa were in cape town for the funeral of archbishop desmond tutu which took place at st george's cathedral, a block away from the parliamentary precinct. block away from the parliamentary recinct. , , ., , ., ,

precinct. this is devastating news, a terrible and _ precinct. this is devastating news, a terrible and devastating - precinct. this is devastating news, a terrible and devastating event, l a terrible and devastating event, particularly after we gave the arch what i _ particularly after we gave the arch what i would call the best sendoff yesterday. the what i would call the best sendoff esterda . , , , yesterday. the minister responsible for government _ yesterday. the minister responsible for government infrastructure i yesterday. the minister responsible for government infrastructure say i for government infrastructure say firefighters managed to contain the blaze from spreading further. this is a very sad _ blaze from spreading further. this is a very sad day _ blaze from spreading further. try 3 is a very sad day for our democracy because parliament is the home of our democracy. because parliament is the home of our democracy-— because parliament is the home of our democracy. parliament is also a strateuic our democracy. parliament is also a strategic key _ our democracy. parliament is also a strategic key point. _ our democracy. parliament is also a strategic key point. no _ our democracy. parliament is also a strategic key point. no injuries i strategic key point. no injuries have been reported that there is no indication of what may have started it. fire and rescue service officials have said it could take longer to put it out completely due to carpets and wooden floors. a second 15—year—old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder following a stabbing in south london. a15—year—old died after

being stabbed in the heart in ashburn park in croydon on thursday. another 15—year—old boy arrested on suspicion of murder has been released on bail. sudanese security forces have killed two protesters during demonstrations calling for the military to leave politics. in the military to leave politics. in the capital khartoum soldiers fired tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters calling for an end to military rule. mass protests have been taking place in the country since the military overthrow of the civilian prime minister in october. he was reinstated a month later but demonstrations have continued. thousands of people in amsterdam have been protesting against the dutch government's coronavirus lockdown measures. riot police were used to break up the gathering. the netherlands went into a sudden lockdown on december the 19th with the government closing all but essential shops including hairdressers and gyms. 20

conservative mps and peers have called on the prime minister to tackle the spiralling cost of living. nine x ministers are amongst those who have written to the sunday telegraph asking for a cut in environmental levies and the removal of energy taxes. the call follows big rises in wholesale gas prices. the government says it is meeting suppliers and the regulator regularly to work out how to help consumers. denmark says it hopes to end the use of fossil fuels on domestic flights by 2030. the danish prime minister says flying must be made green but acknowledged the target would be hard to meet. denmark had already announced plans to reduce carbon emissions by 70% of 1990 levels by 2030. let's catch up on all the day's sports news, john watson that the bbc sport centre. chelsea host liverpool in the premier league and what is a historic occasion for the game with the reintroduction of standing in top flight for the first time in

over 25 years. stamford bridge is one of five stadiums participating in the trial. this is a landmark moment for the game? it is in the trial. this is a landmark moment for the game?- in the trial. this is a landmark moment for the game? it is a hugely sirnificant moment for the game? it is a hugely significant moment _ moment for the game? it is a hugely significant moment and _ moment for the game? it is a hugely significant moment and today - moment for the game? it is a hugely| significant moment and today 12,000 chelsea and liverpool fans became the first since 199a to have legally been allowed to stand for the duration of a top—flight game. in reality many fans have been consistently standing for a number of years but they have done so against a law introduced in the wake of the hillsborough tragedy. a real mix of opinion from fans on their way in today. some say there is a better atmosphere when fans are standing but others voicing safety concerns. we know there are reservations from police about fans migrating into standing areas and a deterioration in fan behaviour but those behind the pilot programme which runs for the rest of the season are confident it can be done safely with barriers between the rows of seats designed to prevent

fan collapses and fans having the choice to set if they wish. unlike the result on the pitch we want no the result on the pitch we want no the outcome at the final whistle today but it has brought a new era in football. , , ., today but it has brought a new era in football-— in football. chelsea's game one of four today- _ in football. chelsea's game one of four today. brentford _ in football. chelsea's game one of four today. brentford were - in football. chelsea's game one of four today. brentford were to- i in football. chelsea's game one of| four today. brentford were to- one four today. brentford were to— one winners over aston villa. a new year brings with it oodles of optimism and that added incentive for change. fitting for brentford and aston villa, both mid—table and is far from relegation as they are from the top of the table. the game's first big chance, danny ings shot blocked, the defender having a lot to say after. minutes later he let his left foot do the talking. similar angle, different outcome. brentford were outplayed for most of the first half but equalised just before the break.

it was aston villa who continue to create the bulk of the chances. they are boss stephen gerard could foresee a nail—biting finish and that's what he got. seven minutes from time, at the second attempt they made them pay. the bees soaring and so is their optimism, for the moment at least. and dan evans inspired great britain to victory in theirfirst inspired great britain to victory in their first season opening event at their first season opening event at the atp cup in sydney. after winning a singles match he teamed up with jamie murray and a doubles tie against germany to seal a 2—1win. they are next match is on tuesday. and don't forget, plenty moreover in the bbc sport website this evening including all of the day's premiership and rugby results. that is all from me. more throughout the evening on the bbc news channel, we

will be back with the late news at 10pm and on bbc one time for the news where you are.

you're watching bbc news. more now on the wearing of face coverings in secondary school classrooms in england to help stop the 0micron covid—19 variant from disrupting the new term. the move brings england in line with the rest of the uk. teaching unions have welcomed the advice, while also warning that staff shortages could once again lead to some children being taught at home. drjulian tang is a clinical virologist and honorary associate professor at the university of leicester. will this move make much of a difference, do you think? irate will this move make much of a difference, do you think? we have been asking _ difference, do you think? we have been asking this _ difference, do you think? we have been asking this question - difference, do you think? we have been asking this question for i difference, do you think? we have been asking this question for the i been asking this question for the last two— been asking this question for the last two years about how effective they are — last two years about how effective they are a — last two years about how effective they are. a lot of data are now showing — they are. a lot of data are now showing that masks work in the laboratory but also epidemiologically at a large population level so they will work in schools — population level so they will work in schools as well to some extent. how well— in schools as well to some extent.

how well they will work as hard to assess— how well they will work as hard to assess because you would need to masks _ assess because you would need to masks exactly the same, one with and without— masks exactly the same, one with and without to _ masks exactly the same, one with and without to control. you have to trust _ without to control. you have to trust the — without to control. you have to trust the science that is already there — trust the science that is already there. �* ., , ., , ., there. and we are constantly hearing not 'ust on there. and we are constantly hearing notjust on a — there. and we are constantly hearing notjust on a school— there. and we are constantly hearing notjust on a school setting - there. and we are constantly hearing notjust on a school setting but i notjust on a school setting but generally, for masks to be effective, they have to be worn properly over the nose and mouth. does it render them useless if it is not done like that out is it a sliding scale of effectiveness depending on how they are worn? it is going to be a sliding scale essentially. wearing it with your bans _ essentially. wearing it with your bans on — essentially. wearing it with your bans on the right position and fitting — bans on the right position and fitting to _ bans on the right position and fitting to the nose. if you wear them — fitting to the nose. if you wear them just— fitting to the nose. if you wear them just over your mouth that is much _ them just over your mouth that is much less— them just over your mouth that is much less effective because most of his breathe through your nose. you have _ his breathe through your nose. you have to _ his breathe through your nose. you have to make sure the nose is covered — have to make sure the nose is covered which means you can't really eat but _ covered which means you can't really eat but you _ covered which means you can't really eat but you shouldn't be eating during — eat but you shouldn't be eating during class anyway. you will take the masks — during class anyway. you will take the masks off during dinner time and that is— the masks off during dinner time and that is where most transmission will

occur~ _ that is where most transmission will occur~ some — that is where most transmission will occur. some of the transmission may be mitigated or reduced by wearing masks _ be mitigated or reduced by wearing masks during lessons between licence but at _ masks during lessons between licence but at dinnertime masks during lessons between licence but at dinner time or break time there _ but at dinner time or break time there is— but at dinner time or break time there is a — but at dinner time or break time there is a risk if you take it off to eat — there is a risk if you take it off to eat or— there is a risk if you take it off to eat or drink.— there is a risk if you take it off to eat or drink. and there are so many different _ to eat or drink. and there are so many different types _ to eat or drink. and there are so many different types of - to eat or drink. and there are so many different types of mask i to eat or drink. and there are so | many different types of mask out they are now. there are various interpretations about which are most effective and environmentally friendly. where does the balance why in terms of the most useful but most long lasting ones that you think have the most significant impact on stopping the spread of the virus? studies have been done with cloth masks _ studies have been done with cloth masks which are reusable and washable _ masks which are reusable and washable and these masks are made thinner— washable and these masks are made thinner with fewer layers of cotton between _ thinner with fewer layers of cotton between the mouth on the outside air, and _ between the mouth on the outside air, and overtime washing reduces the effectiveness of these masks but something is better than nothing, so if you _ something is better than nothing, so if you are _ something is better than nothing, so if you are waiting washable mask and wash it _ if you are waiting washable mask and wash it several times over a few months — wash it several times over a few months it— wash it several times over a few months it is still better than nothing _ months it is still better than nothing and it is environmentally friendly, — nothing and it is environmentally friendly, so you have to strike a

balance — friendly, so you have to strike a balance between usable masks and the environment. we balance between usable masks and the environment-— environment. we are also hearing about the idea _ environment. we are also hearing about the idea of _ environment. we are also hearing about the idea of air _ environment. we are also hearing about the idea of air ventilation i environment. we are also hearingj about the idea of air ventilation or air cleaning units which are being made available, 7000 of them available to schools and colleges and so on. do those make much of a difference or is itjust as effective to open a window? there are lint many _ effective to open a window? there are lint many studies _ effective to open a window? there are lint many studies about i effective to open a window? there are lint many studies about these portable — are lint many studies about these portable air purifiers and classes and clinics — portable air purifiers and classes and clinics as well and studies show they are _ and clinics as well and studies show they are effective in a small volume and if— they are effective in a small volume and if you _ they are effective in a small volume and if you have a large volume class you need _ and if you have a large volume class you need to — and if you have a large volume class you need to three. opening windows adds to _ you need to three. opening windows adds to the — you need to three. opening windows adds to the ventilation on top of these _ adds to the ventilation on top of these purifiers. it is quite complex in that— these purifiers. it is quite complex in that situation but open doors and windows— in that situation but open doors and windows and air purifiers are better than nothing. windows and air purifiers are better than nothing-— windows and air purifiers are better than nothing. thank you very much, very useful — than nothing. thank you very much, very useful information. _ giselle lynch is headteacher at st augustine of canterbury high school in st

helen's. i asked her what she made of the new rules. we won't have a difficulty with that, we've had masks for all pupils in communal areas since september. we had an outbreak early in september, brought back masks in communal areas. we have provided masks where necessary, multiple times a day where necessary. soi think this a step to having them actually in the classroom again as we have previously want to be an onerous step for us, particularly if it's in the short term and it ensures pupils can come into school safely. has it seemed to work? just anecdotally in terms of the number of cases that have emerged at your school. absolutely, in about seven days in early september we had figures go from two cases to 52 cases in the space of a couple of days.

bring back masks, we've gone down to single digits in a week. so i think this is the way forward, particularly with the 0micron variant which is so transmissible. i think it's a good thing. it not only protects our pupils, but staff as well. i was going to ask how your staff feel, do they feel the mask is enough? it's very difficult to say, we have a cleaning regime we have instituted in the school and we have never deviated from that, wiping down surfaces and the way in which desks and tables are arranged in classrooms, ventilation, but the colder weather has affected that in some ways. we have never stopped our measures. the only thing we had stopped was wearing masks in the classroom, but we kept up with the one—way systems, with our sanitisation regime, everything like that was still in place

because we have had this early outbreak and i think that has actually saved us in a way. we've had a lower rate of occurrence since we carried on doing that. it's one thing protecting staff and pupils in school but over the christmas break there has been mixing, visiting relatives and friends. what is your feeling about the potential for staff absences as the new term looms large? i've had notification of one or two cases that have presented themselves. we should be able to manage that. what i have done and i made this decision before the christmas holidays, is we were due back on tuesday the fourth and we decided we would do testing in school and revert to online learning for those four days. tuesday through friday is online learning, testing in school on the tuesday and then a retest on the friday with a return to normal lessons wearing facemasks on monday tenth, so that's the decision i had already made.

this ties in with all of that. with this morning today, the government are saying that businesses and public sector organisations need to have contingency plans for ten, 20, 25% staff absences if the spread continues at the current pace. how do you do that as a school if a quarter of your staff can't come in? we have in the past had online learning where if the member of staff has been fit enough although have tested positive, they have been conducting their lessons from home if you like, remotely, to the full classroom. you still have to have someone on standby in the room as well so we've had that happen. the other thing is to join groups together in a large space like the hall we have had a deputy head taking multiple classes in that respect.

it's really trying to figure out what's best for the pupils and making sure they have a very positive experience. people like myself, i don't have a teaching timetable, i can revert to a teaching timetable if i need to in the short term. that type of thing increasing the loads of the senior staff is something we are prepared to do. ajudge in the united states has thrown out prince andrew's attempt to halt proceedings in a civil lawsuit against him. the duke of york's lawyers had argued that virginia giuffre — who has accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager — lives in australia, so is not a us resident. prince andrew has consistently denied the allegations. aruna iyengar has this report. seen here at the age of 17, virginia roberts, now giuffre, with prince andrew on the left and ghislaine maxwell in the background. ms giuffre has accused prince andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager at the homes ofjeffrey epstein,

the convicted child sex offender, and ghislaine maxwell. prince andrew has consistently denied the allegations. the civil lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. two efforts to stall the case were blocked on saturday. us federaljudge lewis a kaplan told the prince's lawyers they must hand over key legal documents before a crucial court hearing in new york on tuesday. he also rejected arguments by the prince's lawyer, andrew brettler, that the lawsuit should be dismissed because ms giuffre, a us citizen, no longer lives in the us. this comes after ghislaine maxwell was convicted this week of recruiting and trafficking young girls to be sexually abused by her boyfriend, the late american financier jeffrey epstein, between 199a and 200a. on tuesday, judge kaplan will hear oral arguments to decide whether virginia giuffre's lawsuit against prince andrew will proceed. aruna iyengar, bbc news.

it's long been said that "laughter is the best medicine" — and it seems that's being taken quite literally. trauma patients are being invited to free comedy sessions to try to boost their wellbeing in a scheme backed by the nhs in bristol this month. the new approach has been developed by health experts and professional comedians to give people a new perspective. earlier i spoke to angie belcher — comedian in residence at bristol university. she has helped to develop the course. just from the live circuit, being a comedian and realising that we have a special place that we can have horrible things happen in our lives and then we can write about them and perform them and it makes us feel better. i realised, wouldn't it be great if everyone had that opportunity to process their trauma, learn how to do it in a comedic way and put it on stage? and has it worked, has the scheme started yet? it's starting next week, i have my first course working with people who have been referred by social prescribers who are people

who, a doctor can give you medication but a social prescribers can give you arts —based therapy, gym memberships, things that you may not have financially or socially had the time to do and they can give you things like this to help you recover. how does it work, do they turn up and you tell them jokes? it's a psychotherapeutic intervention using comedy. it's using your story. it could be your trauma or your experience or something in your life and then i help people to put comedic devices into it, show people how to use a stage, how to use their body, their voice and their breath, how to use an additive to change the perspective of who's in control and so they create their first five minutes of stand—up and in doing so, that is something that will help them to recoverfrom much trauma they have had. how long does the course last? once a week for six weeks.

do people put themselves forward for it or does it have to be prescribed to them? no—one is going to force you to do comedy. you may go to your prescriber and see you are in a place where you have to process what has happened to you in some way and they get shown an array of different artistic interventions on things and people get to choose stand—up comedy and i've been speaking to people i will be working with next week and they've chosen it and are looking forward to using a slightly different approach to processing their experience. it's a very brave choice. the reaction i get sometimes from colleagues when i telljokes, the idea of standing up in front of a group and telling people you're material is quite daunting! do you think you might inadvertently discover brand—new comedic talent through all of this? i hope so, i've been lecturing for ten years on this and often you get people who come to workshops because it's a hobby or something

on their bucket list but then they realise they really enjoy it. the feedback they get from the audience is good, people laugh at their stuff, and they've gone on to do open mics and do it professionally. how did you get involved with it? did the nhs come to you or did you put it forward to them? i kind of realise people want to tell me about their trauma and funny things that happened to them. if people have had friends or their parents have died or they have had breakdown azure, because i'm a comedian, they come to me and say, there's this funny thing that happened, you'll understand because you're a comedian. we spoke about the funny things that happen in the most horrific situations and they realise they get some sort of help from analysing it in that way which is what comedians do. i suddenly started thinking, wouldn't it be great to offer the so to the community and not only help that individual but there's also a ripple effect

of listening to the comedian mirror your experience on a stage so if you watch a comedian who is talking about something that's happened to them and it's also happened to you, it gets to the point where you think, i feel much easier now about talking about it. as we know with things like suicide and mental health, we must want to encourage people to talk about it because they get help and they don't harm themselves or harm other people or do anything bring you some breaking news, the world—renowned kenyan conservationist and politician richard leakey has died. richard leakey unearthed evidence that help to prove humankind evolved in africa and was a world renowned conservationist. also a politician. the statement from the kenyan president said i have this afternoon received with deep sorrow the sad

news of the passing away of doctor richard leakey. that's it for the moment. time for a look at the weather with tomasz schafernaker. hello. after yesterday's record breaking mild new year's day, a lot of mild weather around for the rest of today. in terms of the weather, we have a few scattered showers, some of them heavy. you may have already had a few cracks of thunder, especially across the south of the country. this is what it looks like at 6pm. 11 celsius in london, 9 celsius there in the lowlands of scotland. you can see where the showers are spreading across some parts of the country through the course of the evening and night. a change taking place in scotland. a weather front arrives, behind it we have much colder air, there is a possibility of some snow and stronger winds in places across scotland through the course of the night and the early hours of the morning as well, central and southern scotland. you can see the winds coming in from the north, so that is a sign of that colder air arriving. in the south tomorrow, it is still a south—westerly, so across england and wales

it is a mild day but not quite so mild in scotland and northern ireland.

this is bbc news. the headlines: secondary school pupils in england are being asked to wear face masks in classrooms to reduce the spread of 0micron. unions welcome the move. warnings of a worst case scenario of quarter of staff in the public sector being off work because of covid. fire engulfs the parliament building in south africa after its sprinkler system failed. trials begin today on safe standing at football matches with this afternoon's game between chelsea and liverpool. now on bbc news, review 2021, the business year. ben thompson reflects on how the uk economy, businesses and jobs have changed amidst the coronavirus pandemic and in the wake of brexit.