as england reports another record number of daily coronavirus cases — health officials warn the days ahead will be crucial as hospitalisations continue to rise. the government needs to make a difficult decision if it cannot reintroduce restrictions for the part of the number of hospitalisations keep going up at the rate at they are that you can see why they would need to change their mind. new year honours for leading figures in the battle against covid. professors chris whitty and jonathan van tam are knighted. drjenny harries and drjune raine are both made dames. in sport, husband and wife jason and laura kenny are made a knight and a dame for services to cycling. the president of south africa pays tribute to desmond tutu as "the spiritual father of our new nation" and the archbishop's daughter speaks movingly at his funeral: