this is bbc news. the headlines... new figures show that covid—related absences in acute nhs trusts in england went up by more than a0 % during christmas week. in his new year's message, borisjohnson has urged people in the uk to take a covid test before celebrating tonight. and the party is already under way in new zealand — this is the scene in auckland as it sees in the new year. in other news — firefighters are battling one of the most destructive ever wildfires in the us state of colorado — more than 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate. the ymca has been offering shelter to families left homeless.