and on bbc one, we nowjoin the bbc�*s news teams where you are. hello, this is bbc news with me ben brown. the headlines around the uk and around the world. borisjohnson are still in control after another conservative mp calls him him to go. and the resignation of a fifth downing street adviser. fix, and the resignation of a fifth downing street adviser. a cabinet collea . ue downing street adviser. a cabinet colleague has _ downing street adviser. a cabinet colleague has come _ downing street adviser. a cabinet colleague has come to _ downing street adviser. a cabinet colleague has come to his - downing street adviser. a cabinet. colleague has come to his defence. downing street adviser. a cabinet i colleague has come to his defence. i think the best thing for the country is for the prime minister to continue, i think he is doing a greatjob. continue, i think he is doing a great job-— continue, i think he is doing a ureat 'ob. , , . ., ., great “0b. the spectacle of ageing to great job. the spectacle of ageing to mark the _ great job. the spectacle of ageing to mark the opening _ great job. the spectacle of ageing to mark the opening of _ great job. the spectacle of ageing to mark the opening of the - great job. the spectacle of ageingi to mark the opening of the winter olympics. but fewer world leaders attend because of claims of human rights abuses by president xi jinping's government. ajudge rules the cheques between britain and

northern ireland must continue. and often says it may review the energy price cap every three months rather than the current six. coming up in half an hour, foreign correspondence based in london given an outsider�*s view of events in the uk in dateline. hello and welcome to bbc news. welcome to viewers in the uk and around the world. as another conservative member of parliament calls for a vote of no confidence in boris johnson's calls for a vote of no confidence in borisjohnson�*s leadership, number boris johnson's leadership, number 10 borisjohnson�*s leadership, number 10 is denying the prime minister has lost control. the mp said the plan is a's position has become untenable ever since details emerged about the gathering is heard at downing street

during lockdown. development puts further pressure borisjohnson, who has also been dealing with the fallout of five resignations from his number ten team. our political correspondent, iain watson has the latest. are the normal rules of politics being turned on their head? boris johnson delivered an 80—seat majority yet some of his own mps are openly talking about whether he should be leaving downing street for good. she's a fighter and a quitter — elena narozanski has represented england at boxing. today she dealt the prime a blow by resigning from his policy unit. she is a close ally of mirza, the number 10 policy chief

who left yesterday, one boris johnson's closest aides who had worked for him for a decade. both resignations were unforeseen in government and ministers had to put a brave face on the downing street departures. the people going are distinguished public servants but the prime minister wanted change and he said there would be change, and we are seeing that change now. the chief of staff at number 10 dan rosenfield, seen on the left, communications directorjack doyle and senior civil martin reynolds are also leaving number 10. they were expected to go in response to the initial report from sue gray on lockdown gatherings. the remaining staff in downing street attended another gathering today, a pep talk from the prime minister. i am told he quoted from the lion king saying "change is good". some sceptical mps suggested either the prime minister himself would need to change or they might need to change the prime minister. we want this to work but i think, for myself, i am deeply troubled by what is going on and we all know if a prime minister does not ship up they have to shape out, and that is what happened

when this prime minister took over. another mp, aaron bell, confirmed he had submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister saying the breach of trust makes his position untenable. for some tory mps it is not a matter of if but when they will call for a vote of no—confidence. it takes only 5a to trigger the vote but 180 win. some of the prime minister's long—standing critics are wary about rushing in because under party rules if they fail to oust borisjohnson, he cannot be challenged for another year. in politics, as in comedy, timing is everything. another factor holding some mps back from pushing borisjohnson out of number 10 is a question of who would move in. next—door—neighbour rishi sunak distanced himself from downing street gatherings and the controversial comments about keir starmer, but his allies say that does not mean he has given the nod to a leadership contest. borisjohnson has written to all tory mps promising to work more closely with them and, in a sign he wants to stay at

number 10, he declares, "we will deliver together". let's talk about this with peter cardwell, former government adviser and now a presenter at talk radio. change is good as what the prime minister is saying and the spin on it is these are changes he wants to make in the following to the downing street parties. make in the following to the downing street parties-— make in the following to the downing street parties-— street parties. yes, i think that has a pretty — street parties. yes, i think that has a pretty charitable - street parties. yes, i think that i has a pretty charitable explanation of what happened in regards to munira mirza who was on his side for a decade and a half, including as a deputy mayor of london. she resigned in disgust at the prime minister's inaccurate slur on keir starmer in regard to the prosecution ofjimmy savile, so it may well have been the case that his chief of staff, his communications chief and his principal private secretary may have gone all three involved in some way or, allegedly implicated, in

partygate, but munira mirza going was not in relation to partygate. it has all happened very quickly indeed, within 2a hours under the premise is hoping to move on from this but has struggled to move on from many of the scandals in the last number of months. in from many of the scandals in the last number of months.- from many of the scandals in the last number of months. in the wake of this particular _ last number of months. in the wake of this particular episode _ last number of months. in the wake of this particular episode and - last number of months. in the wake of this particular episode and these | of this particular episode and these people going, is he weaker, as a result, do you think?— result, do you think? yes, yes. backbenchers, _ result, do you think? yes, yes. backbenchers, even _ result, do you think? yes, yes. backbenchers, even those - result, do you think? yes, yes. backbenchers, even those of. result, do you think? yes, yes. | backbenchers, even those of the stature of andrew mitchell, the former... davies davies, saying he should go is important, but his advisers who by their very nature, the public knows very little about the public knows very little about the man they are behind the scenes people, but they are the day—to—day advisers to the prime minister, very influential people. someone like munira mirza could have told the pipe and so he should not have done this, and he would have lessened but

thatis this, and he would have lessened but that is obvious and not the case with many backbenchers so they are very important people, it is a blow to the prime minister and he will have to point others to those positions. have to point others to those positions-— have to point others to those positions. have to point others to those ositions. . , ., , , ., positions. that said, perhaps with a new team in — positions. that said, perhaps with a new team in downing _ positions. that said, perhaps with a new team in downing street, - positions. that said, perhaps with ai new team in downing street, things will be a bit steadier for the prime minister? i will be a bit steadier for the prime minister? ., ., ., , ., , ., minister? i would love to show your 0 timism. minister? i would love to show your optimism. boris _ minister? i would love to show your optimism. boris johnson _ minister? i would love to show your optimism. boris johnson is - minister? i would love to show your| optimism. boris johnson is someone optimism. borisjohnson is someone who has a huge mandate, he has a majority of 80, but he has many, many problems, and i think there will be many candidates for those roles. it is a real privilege to serve as a special advisor on government as i did for 3.5 years and i would recommend it to anybody, but at the same time, it is a very, very toughjob, particularly but at the same time, it is a very, very tough job, particularly at the moment and regards all the travails that boris johnson moment and regards all the travails that borisjohnson has on people have trouble recruiting very good people for those rules because his position is so unstable at the moment. is position is so unstable at the moment-— position is so unstable at the moment. , ., ., ., moment. is the danger for him that he survives — moment. is the danger for him that he survives all— moment. is the danger for him that he survives all the _ moment. is the danger for him that he survives all the best _ moment. is the danger for him that he survives all the best but - moment. is the danger for him that he survives all the best but there i he survives all the best but there is a drip, drip, drip of allegations and revelations and also resignations and letters of no

confidence going into the 1922 committee of conservative backbenchers, which could trigger, ultimately, if they get 5a letters, no confidence in the prime minister and a leadership contest? yes. no confidence in the prime minister and a leadership contest?— and a leadership contest? yes. i think the prime _ and a leadership contest? yes. i think the prime minister- and a leadership contest? yes. i think the prime minister at i and a leadership contest? yes. i think the prime minister at the l think the prime minister at the moment would probably win a confidence vote, but your right to say that there is this drip, drip, drip, significant events but any scheme of things, small events over and over. they will thing that would hypothetically get rid of boris johnson, it might take an election, the council election injune, it might take a fine, or worse, from the metropolitan police and crown prosecution service to borisjohnson initially and if that happens i think it would be untenable or something like a cabinet resignation, especially top four positions. but none of those things has happened yet, all of those things may not happen. the election is happening, but it may be less bad than expected for the conservatives,

so borisjohnson will certainly be attempting to do the best he can in the next few months to turn things around, whether he can or not is another matter because his authority has drained away and that has gone to his backbenchers, people like rishi sunak and they can call the shots now in terms of what boris johnson does. he no longer as a man... he was master of all his ministers and government at the 2019 election, but no longer. peter cardwell, _ election, but no longer. peter cardwell, good _ election, but no longer. peter cardwell, good to _ election, but no longer. peter cardwell, good to talk - election, but no longer. peter cardwell, good to talk to i election, but no longer. peter cardwell, good to talk to you, election, but no longer. peter- cardwell, good to talk to you, thank you very much, former conservative government adviser. china's president xijinping has government adviser. china's president xi jinping has declared the winter olympics open at in unusually low key ceremony because of the pandemic and the diplomatic boycott of a human rights abuses. the main venue is the bird's nest stadium already familiar to fans as it was the focus of the 2008 summer olympics. the ceremony was overseen by film director who was the

director of the 2008 summer olympics. very few world leaders made the trip to beijing. a former member of the house of lords has been jailed for member of the house of lords has beenjailed for 5.5 member of the house of lords has been jailed for 5.5 years for child six offences. lord ahmed of rotherham carried out the assaults on two children in the 1970s when he was a teenager. there are no calls for him to be stripped of his title. the 64—year—old was tried under his real name, and as over 100 years ago, the antarctic explorer sir ernest shackleton and his team made a daring escape from their ship endurance as it sank in freezing water. it is believed to be nearly two miles below sea level but had never been found. this weekend, and expedition are setting off any hope of solving the mystery and finding the back. our science editor rebecca

morelle has been to meet them. the final moments of the endurance. this 100—year—old footage, restored and released by the bfi, shows sir ernest shackleton�*s famous ship as it was lost to the antarctic ice. there's the endurance. now a new expedition is attempting to locate the ship. the endurance is the... the most unreachable wreck in the world, and the big challenge is the ice. it's opening, it's clenching. it's a really vicious, lethal environment. this was shackleton�*s third expedition to antarctica. endurance set off from south georgia in december 1914, but it was a bad yearfor sea ice and by mid—january, the ship had become frozen fast. it drifted for months with the crew on board, but eventually, an order was given to abandon the ship after it became crushed by the weight of the ice. endurance finally sank on the 21st of november 1915.

its exact location, though, was recorded, and this is where the search will begin. the agulhas ii is the icebreaker taking on that challenge. underwater robots kitted out with sonar and cameras will hunt for the wreck 3000 metres down. the hope is it's well preserved by the icy water. shackleton�*s expedition diary was saved before the endurance sank. "she went today. 5pm. she went down by the head. the stern, the cause of all the trouble, was the last to go underwater. i cannot write about it." you can read about how it was creaking. they talk to her, talk about her as a personality. there's this real kind of sense of how crushed they were when the ship was crushed and sank as well. the endurance crew travelled for hundreds of miles to get to safety. miraculously, they all survived. but the ship that had been their home is still silently

waiting to be discovered. rebecca morelle, bbc news. in that report you saw historian dan snow who is part of the expedition, and i'm pleased to say we can speak to him now — he's in cape town. what about the story so fascinate's you? what about the story so fascinate's ou? . . what about the story so fascinate's ou? , , ., , , ., you? this is the greatest survival sto in you? this is the greatest survival story in the _ you? this is the greatest survival story in the history _ you? this is the greatest survival story in the history of _ you? this is the greatest survivall story in the history of exploration. it's a story of tenacity and courage, of extraordinary attempt to defy the odds. it contains... they live on the eyes, they then take small boats, little rowing boats dashing on the ice. they take it across the southern ocean, the roughest see on the earth, then hike over south georgia, no one had ever done that before to find someone who could help them. it is an extraordinary story... it is one

that inspires the world which is why we are on their ship, heading south and why this story still engages with people all over the planet. d0 with people all over the planet. do ou with people all over the planet. do you think you can solve the mystery and find the wreck? if you think you can solve the mystery and find the wreck?— and find the wreck? if we are lucky wet weather. _ and find the wreck? if we are lucky wet weather, i _ and find the wreck? if we are lucky wet weather, i think _ and find the wreck? if we are lucky wet weather, i think we _ and find the wreck? if we are lucky wet weather, i think we had - and find the wreck? if we are lucky wet weather, i think we had a i and find the wreck? if we are lucky | wet weather, i think we had a good chance. 1 wet weather, i think we had a good chance. . . wet weather, i think we had a good chance. ., ., ., , ., , , chance. i am having a few problems with the line — chance. i am having a few problems with the line to _ chance. i am having a few problems with the line to dance _ chance. i am having a few problems with the line to dance no, _ chance. i am having a few problems with the line to dance no, but i with the line to dance no, but anyway we will leave it there. if he is still listening, very good luck —— the line to dan snow. good luck with finding the wreck of the endurance. the government's latest figures show coronavirus figures remain stable. on average nearly 88,000 infections have been reported in the last week and there are more

than 16.5 thousand people in hospital. 254 deaths within 20 days of a positive test, though some will have died of other causes. on average,... more than 37 million people have now had a boosterjab, which means 65.1% of those aged 12 and over have now had the three vaccine doses. well we can now speak to professor tim specter from can now speak to professor tim specterfrom king's can now speak to professor tim specter from king's college can now speak to professor tim specterfrom king's college london, who helped found the zoe covid at which finds out... zoe covid team estimate there are almost 200,000 new symptomatic cases of covid in the uk. meanwhile, in the official

government data, 84,000 and 53 cases were... it estimates that one people have symptomatic covid. tim specter, what is going on? tell us how your figures match with the government figures match with the government figures and what is your view? it is figures and what is your view? it is com - lex figures and what is your view? it is complex and _ figures and what is your view? it 3 complex and confusing for many people. the government have been changing the way they have been handing out pcr tests and looking at lateral flow tests. previously, every lateral flow was supposed to be confirmed by a pcr test and they stop doing that to save money. more and more people are using lateralflow more and more people are using lateral flow tests at home to self diagnose, self—isolate and just get on with it. many of those people are not now reporting on the government at to let people know what those are real rates are. the zoe app is capturing that thanks to millions of people logging on, giving out the

results whether they are positive or negative, that is why we are seeing 200,000 cases a day, which is actually similar to the government because my own surveys, the ons survey when they give swabs door—to—door. so it is very similar to that, but what is different as we are showing an increase in rates rather than being stable, so i think thatis rather than being stable, so i think that is what is happening across the country, an increase which is getting back towards the peak. that we had at the very beginning of january question how wedding is that, then? i january question how wedding is that, then?— that, then? i think it is less worrying — that, then? i think it is less worrying than _ that, then? i think it is less worrying than it _ that, then? i think it is less worrying than it was - that, then? i think it is less worrying than it was for i that, then? i think it is less i worrying than it was for delta. we now know worrying than it was for delta. - now know it is a shorter duration of illness. most people are going to hospital, it is less severe. but the sheer volume of people still means lots of sickness at work, and also lots of sickness at work, and also lots of sickness at work, and also lots of long covid, potentially in the future, so it has sort of switched that it is much more the volume of problem that we have got

and the fact that more than one in 30 people around us in most parts of the country have it so it is really easy to catch still. the government data gives a false sense of security for many people and that is why it is important that we have all these different methods of measuring it and these are great people giving us that data through their own lateral flow test. that will be the future, i think. it will be flow test. that will be the future, i think. it will he sets scientists telling us what is happening rather than relying on the government. given those numbers, are we right to be pretty much ending restrictions? have we become complacent or is that the correct course for the future that we have to live with it? i course for the future that we have to live with it?— to live with it? i would have liked to live with it? i would have liked to see it go _ to live with it? i would have liked to see it go more _ to live with it? i would have liked to see it go more slowly. - to live with it? i would have liked to see it go more slowly. and i to live with it? i would have likedj to see it go more slowly. and not really say we are out of it because we run the risk in this country of keep having these freedom days where everything gets collapsed and we go back to normal. of course it is not back to normal. of course it is not back to normal. of course it is not back to normal, but at the same time, dashing everything gets capped, but we have to get back on with life and my numbers, you have

to isolate regions, and there are very high risk places you want to be still wearing masks and doing the decent thing. i think most people still are. and that is encouraging. when you just carry on and realise it is not going to go away, it is going to be with us. i see these high numbers are going on until late spring before they drop again so we had to get used to it and gets an appropriate balance between any two extremes. ., ., , ., ~' extremes. how do you think we com are extremes. how do you think we compare in _ extremes. how do you think we compare in terms _ extremes. how do you think we compare in terms of— extremes. how do you think we compare in terms of numbers l extremes. how do you think we i compare in terms of numbers with other countries at the moment? we are, on other countries at the moment? - are, on the government figures, pretty average. no country is really measuring it properly. i think even countries that had pretty tight restrictions have struggled to get those numbers down. ijust think we are seeing... wear head of the rest of europe, so we are seeing things they have not seen. —— we are ahead. they will have the same problems as us in getting these numbers down so we have to start to think very

differently about a long—term plan around how we deal with it. ihtnd around how we deal with it. and vaccinations, _ around how we deal with it. and vaccinations, i— around how we deal with it. and vaccinations, ijust _ around how we deal with it. and vaccinations, ijust gave the figures they are, do you feel that as a sort of certain minority who are not going to get the third boosterjab, however many government ministers exhort them to, they will just not. ? ministers exhort them to, they will 'ust not. ? , ~ ministers exhort them to, they will 'ust not. ? , ,, _, , just not. ? yes, i think there comes a saturation — just not. ? yes, i think there comes a saturation point _ just not. ? yes, i think there comes a saturation point when _ just not. ? yes, i think there comes a saturation point when it _ just not. ? yes, i think there comes a saturation point when it gets i a saturation point when it gets increasingly hard to get those people. we know that boosters are really saving people going to hospital. that is why our hospitals are actually coping at the moment because of the millions of people who got that booster. it is that personal responsibility sing, i do not want to be really sick with this, i do not want to have to go to hospital, but in the nhs, it is still a good reason to get it, get it and they're very safe and effective. but were in for the long haul here and we need to start realising there is a lot of it around and it will be very tricky to get benefit. around and it will be very tricky to get benefit-— around and it will be very tricky to net benefit. ,,, . ., ,. , ., get benefit. tim specter, thank you very much, —

get benefit. tim specter, thank you very much, good — get benefit. tim specter, thank you very much, good to _ get benefit. tim specter, thank you very much, good to have _ get benefit. tim specter, thank you very much, good to have yearly i very much, good to have yearly studio with us. i have talked to you loads down the line but nicer to have you here a real treat. send more enthusiastic! the government's moved to shore up the government's £9 billion move this week to shore up household finances in the face of a sharp rise in energy bills was a major intervention — adding up to help of £350 a year for the majority of families. but what difference will that sum make to people struggling with the rise in the cost of living — and will it get to those who need help the most? our business editor simonjack reports. george is one of many for whom a 54% rise in the energy cap will force choices they've never had to make before. i'm going to have to start pulling back on certain things, so i might this have to shut down my business or, at least, reduce some of the costs that i have on it. i might have to stop using some

of the things i used to help myself mentally like socialising with friends or going to the gym, and also food is going to be difficult to even eat what i want to eat. i'm going to have to randomly select stuff that's cheap. the impact is broad and, for some, it's very deep. you could say we're all in the same storm, but we're definitely not all in the same boat. at this food bank, energy costs are making for tough conversations. increasingly, we are asking everyone, can you afford to heat the food that we give? it's often tinned food. and so often the answer, sadly, is no, so we'll adapt what we give. these measures will not stop millions falling into fuel stress — defined as household spending more than 10% of their income on energy. currently, there are two million households in that situation. the price cap rise will have seen that rise to six million. these measures bring that down to five million — one million less, but still more than double the current level. the treasury argue because everyone eligible gets the same amount,

it'll mean proportionally more to those on lower incomes. and they say they're expanding the warm home discount to cover three million people, who will get £150 as a one—off payment, but remember, prices are already rising faster than wages and the government is determined to push through a £6 billion tax hike, and these measures won't change the harsh reality that households are facing the biggest drop in living standards since comparable records began 32 years ago. the governor of the bank of england angered unions yesterday when he suggested workers shouldn't ask for inflationary pay rises. the uk's biggest energy boss, who employs 30,000 people, said he could see both sides. if this is a temporary spike in inflation and wages rise to meet that temporary spike, then, the people paying those wages have to pass on that cost, and that is when you get into the wage—inflation spiral. but by the same token, if you are trying to figure out how to pay for your groceries at aldi,

then it's not enough to sit and say, "well, i'm not going to do this because it will cause some spiral in the economy" — you're worried about paying your bills, you're worried about feeding your family, you're worried about heating your home. he described the government help with bills as welcome and necessary, but knows it won't be sufficient to relieve painful income squeeze. simon jack, bbc news. emergency workers in morocco are confident they will soon reach a boy who has been trapped in a narrow well. this footage from a camera lowered into the well show rayan covered in earth, with little room to move. he has been trapped like this for three days. above him, a complex rescue operation is under way. it has been going on since tuesday night, when rayan fell 32 metres down this narrow opening. for the five—year—old's family, the wait is agonising. translation: i ask all moroccans to please pray for him, _ he really needs your prayers.

rayan is the son of all moroccans. translation: rayan is very much loved here in the village, - notjust at home. imiss him. an oxygen mask, food and water have been lowered into the well. whether the little boy has drunk or eaten is not known. early attempts to reach him through the well�*s opening failed because of the narrowness of the hole's diameter. since then, rescuers have been working through the night to extract the ground next to the boy. once at his level, they hope to create an opening. after days of digging, there are just metres to go, but there is the risk of a landslide. translation: considerable efforts have been deployed by local- authorities and all participating bodies to accelerate the process and rescue the child, rayan, as soon as possible. the only solution remains to use bulldozers in order to make a hole to extract the child as soon as possible. this is an extremely delicate operation.

rescuers, though, are hopeful that soon they will be able to free rayan and return the little boy to his family. helen wilkinson, bbc news. now the weather with helen willetts. hello there. with some sleet even in southern parts this morning, it was a hint it was going to be a cold day, and we've had snow showers further north and west. and that cold arctic air stays with us through the night, so widely frosty and there are some warnings out. you can find out more on the website. but the satellite picture earlier just shows you where those showers have been packing in — northern and western areas — sleet, snow, hail and thunder as well, and that will continue through this evening. but in between, clear skies, temperatures are tumbling away. it will turn frosty in many areas, even in the north and west ahead of this approaching weather front, which willjust top up the snow levels because the snow showers will continue in the north as well, so quite treacherous in places, particularly where the surfaces are damp and where the showers

continue with the ice risk there. so a cold start saturday morning, but a bright start in southern and eastern areas close to this area of high pressure. but you can see these tightly—packed isobars. it's going to be a windy weekend and we'll return to the atlantic wind flow, so bringing in, or returning, the milder air across the british isles as we go through saturday. the far north sees the cold air returning later in the day and there's still that snow risk, as we've talked about, on this weather front as it pushes its way eastwards. eventually sweeping that cold air out of the way, pushing further south. i think southern and eastern areas may well escape — dry, bright morning sunshine, increasing cloud and wind, though, making it feel chilly. i think southern and eastern areas may well escape — and it will be a windy day with gales, even severe gales in the north and the west closer to that area of low pressure. so it isn't going to feel that much milder than it has done today, but nine or ten is a little bit higher than today. but the cold air does return to the north during the evening

behind our weather front, so you can see how our temperatures are see—sawing. that rain pushes its way southwards, but it may well linger in southern areas into sunday morning. there's a question mark about how quickly it will clear away, but still a cold night with some frost further north and some further snow showers to come here or wintry showers. then as we get towards sunday morning, there's that weather front with us in southern areas still and perhaps hanging around in the south and the west. quite a bit of cloud, therefore, lingering, further wintry showers gathering in the north and west, and windy. we could even have gales through the english channel during the course of sunday. still feeling pretty cold as well — temperatures only five to ten degrees celsius. as ever, there's more on the website.

hello, and welcome to dateline london. i'm ben brown. this week we pay tribute to one of the worlds most remarkable women. her majesty queen elizabeth has been on the british throne for a record 70 years. also on the programme — we'll look at the diplomatic offensive to persuade president putin not to invade ukraine. joining me in the studio thomas kielinger die welt�*s veteran correspondent here in london and virtually — author of a bestselling book about the queen.