and on public transport. a legal document which prince andrew's lawyer believes will stop a civil case against him in the us, is expected to be made public today. the duke of york has consistenly denied sexually assaulting virginia giuffre when she was 17. and we report on how the queen will celebrate her platinum jubilee this year, when she becomes the first british monarch to reign for 70 years. hello, and welcome. the british prime minister, borisjohnson, says there is no reason for further coronavirus measures in england — despite the surge of coronavirus cases caused by the 0micron variant. the government insists it's determined to keep schools open. speaking at a vaccination centre, mrjohnson said current measures — including mask—wearing in secondary schools, working from home where possible, and covid passes for some venues — are enough for now. scotland has hit a record number of new cases. a further 20,217 people tested positive for covid—19 there, the highest daily figure of the pandemic. in france, children aged six and over are required to wear facemasks on public transport, shops and in other venues. in the netherlands, the government has announced that schools will reopen next week, despite cases remaining high and in india vaccinations have opened to 15 to 18—year—olds. but the country has recorded its steepest weekly surge in infections — almost tripling, with 130,000 new cases registered. let's start though in the uk, and our political correspondent chris mason. happy new year, thank you very much for all you're doing. the prime minister in aylesbury in buckinghamshire this morning at a vaccination centre, as secondary schools in england are told to do what's already been happening in wales, northern ireland and scotland. pupils wearing masks in class. there is an increasing body of scientific support for the idea that facemasks can contain transmission. we don't want to keep them on, i don't like the idea of having facemasks in the classroom any more than anybody else does. we won't keep them on a day more than is necessary. this is what the start of term looked like in secondary schools in england in september, and it'll look pretty similar in the next few days, too, as pupils are tested at school before heading to lessons. this head teacher in solihull in the west midlands is a senior figure in the naht teachers�* union. it's going to be challenging. we are yet again going to slightly an unknown of knowing what the impact is, not only on students but i think, more importantly, on staffing and the ability to deliver the education that we want to deliver. i think i'd echo what everyone else has said. we want schools open, we want students in, but we are going into a little bit of the unknown. we have asked our staff to test, and we will be carrying out testing with students tomorrow, as the first day back. labour claimed the government hasn't done enough to make schools in england as safe as possible. 7,000 air purifiers across hundreds of thousands of classrooms in england just isn't good enough. they clearly recognise there is the need to take action, but, for so many schools and so many head teachers, the answer has just been open windows and keep children in coats learning. well, you know, we are in the middle of winter here, it's january. i don't think it's an adequate solution. meanwhile, nhs leaders are warning that they are seeing increasing numbers of staff not able to work because of covid, just as they are dealing with what has been a big increase in people being sent to hospital with it. but there is some evidence from those running hospitals in london that things might be improving. so, i was talking to london chief execs last week. what they were saying is they were seeing some very concerning daily increases of the numbers of people coming into hospital. 996, 1596. 9% on the 27th, 28th and 29th of december — but interestingly, in the last two days, those numbers have dropped, the increases, to 1% and 2%. but remember, there is a time lag between people being infected and some ending up in hospital, and the government does expect a big increase in people being admitted in the coming weeks. that was chris mason reporting. a critical incident has been declared at hospitals in lincolnshire because of covid—related staff shortages. the situation has been described as extreme and unprecedented by the nhs trust that runs them. it says essential services remain open. 0ur correspondent, danny savage, is at lincoln county hospital for us now. what are the hospital authorities saying? well, that critical incident was declared here across the link a sure hospital trust on saturday night. that includes this big hospital here, one in boston and one in grantham as well. it means that they felt they did not have enough staff to safely cover all bases, as it were. they have given an update today saying that all essential services are fine and if you need to come to hospital you should do so. itjust underlines the fact come to hospital you should do so. it just underlines the fact that staffing levels are very stretched. numbers of covid cases are going up in society, all the doctors and nurses live in society and their cases are going up too. there are more and more of them absent from work because they have got covid or they are isolating because of it. this is just one of what we think is about six nhs trusts in england to have declared a critical incident over the last week. we heard the prime minister say that he admits the nhs is under a lot of pressure. and what we have to see over the next few weeks whether the nhs is just going to struggle on by declaring these critical incidents here and there and just about coping or whether there will be more serious consequences. that will be unknown. interesting to notejust mentioned in the report about the levels dropping off a bit in london. you have to remember that outside of london, cases are growing. the wave of cases you saw in london has not been seen quite yet in other places outside the capital. this is one example of that here. we are going to see more of these, i think, these critical incidences cropping up at nhs is across the country. it is a bit hard to gauge. if you go into the hospital here as it is a bank holiday it is pretty quiet. we will see what it is like tomorrow when we have a normal working day. we will see what will happen would services and what the patient experience will be. . , and what the patient experience will be. ., , , ., ., be. that underlines the point that the prime minister _ be. that underlines the point that the prime minister was _ be. that underlines the point that the prime minister was saying - be. that underlines the point that| the prime minister was saying that 0micron is milder, but it is very transmissible and that is the real danger moving forward, staff shortages where critical incidents has been declared like in lancashire. —— lincolnshire. this has been declared like in lancashire. -- lincolnshire. this is a benchmark _ lancashire. -- lincolnshire. this is a benchmark if _ lancashire. -- lincolnshire. this is a benchmark if you _ lancashire. -- lincolnshire. this is a benchmark if you like _ lancashire. -- lincolnshire. this is a benchmark if you like to - lancashire. -- lincolnshire. this is a benchmark if you like to call - lancashire. -- lincolnshire. this is a benchmark if you like to call on l a benchmark if you like to call on help from elsewhere. that is now coming into this trust, but what happens if you have a lot of critical incidents in places that are close to each other and there's no help was mac or if they don't have extra staff to make up the gap. it is just existing staff picking up extra shifts. what happens if they catch covid but then they have to isolate? there are a lot of unknowns. isolate? there are a lot of unknowns-_ isolate? there are a lot of unknowns. , ., ~ , ., , unknowns. danny, thank you very much. french mps are debating draught legislation that would require people to be vaccinated against covid—19 in order to enter public spaces such as bars, restaurants and long—distance public transport. dubbed the "vaccine pass", the bill is aimed at getting france's remaining five million unvaccinated people over the age of 12 to accept a dose. france is also toughening its rules around face masks with all children over six now having to wear them in shops and on public transport. we can now speak to our paris correspondent hugh schofield. french people have traditionally been a little bit vaccine hesitant, haven't they? and president macron has use the stick before. is this another example of that trying to get the remaining unvaccinated people vaccinated?— get the remaining unvaccinated people vaccinated? yes, broadly, that is fair— people vaccinated? yes, broadly, that is fair enough _ people vaccinated? yes, broadly, that is fair enough to _ people vaccinated? yes, broadly, that is fair enough to say. - people vaccinated? yes, broadly, that is fair enough to say. i'm - that is fair enough to say. i'm cautious to say that they have been vaccine sceptic. in the beginning that was a popular belief, maybe even myth that they would turn into knuckle under. they didn't do it. it took pressure from the top, and six months ago president macron instituted the health pass which was a way of encouraging people to get vaccinated. it was a requirement to have a document on your phone or whatever which said that you had been vaccinated or had a negative test recently in order to get access to things and public life. there was not a huge uprising, people accepted it and now he is pushing a little bit further. the results and that was a huge uptake in vaccination and now six months later, he wants to get the rest. there is this 5 million or so over 12 who have not taken it yet, about 5% of the population. by turning the health pass into a vaccination pass, making it compulsory to be vaccinated to get into places, notjust a negative test, that is going to put the pressure on. the pressure is already on because the evidence is mounting more and more on those who are hesitant that by being hesitant they are exposing themselves to greater dangers. he is pushing on a much more flexible open door now. but there are people in the countryjust like in other countries were viscerally opposed to vaccinations and some who will never change, but he thinks there are some who will. what is happening in terms of case numbers and hospitalisations? that data. it numbers and hospitalisations? that data. , , , ~ numbers and hospitalisations? that data. , , , . ., data. it is very interesting. we are alwa s a data. it is very interesting. we are always a little _ data. it is very interesting. we are always a little bit _ data. it is very interesting. we are always a little bit behind _ data. it is very interesting. we are always a little bit behind the - data. it is very interesting. we are always a little bit behind the uk i data. it is very interesting. we are always a little bit behind the uk inj always a little bit behind the uk in this, but it is following it. there is a huge surge, no question about that. were seeing cases of 230,000 which is unprecedented since the start of all this. that is not accompanied by the kind of panic and general sense of impending doom that we had previously because as i've just been hearing you reporting, there is a growing sense that this variant is not as dangerous as the other one. there is an element of optimism. hospitals have strained, but there is no impending collapse. everyone is keeping an eye very closely on the figures and studies coming out on 0micron with a cautious optimism. this big wave now upon us will be less dangerous and many harold the beginning of... thank you so much for talking to us. protests have been continuing against lockdown measures and vaccinations in the netherlands. in amsterdam, at least 30 people were arrested at an unauthorised protest on sunday. anna holligan reports. the first major anti—lockdown demo of the new year, and the focus of their discontent was clear. four officers were injured when people tried to break through a barricade. a few protesters were hurt too. they object to the rules suddenly imposed by the dutch government a few days before christmas, to limit social interactions, protect the vulnerable in society, and relieve pressure on hospitals. thousands defied a ban on mass public gatherings designed to impede the rapid spread of the 0micron variant. will many people here believe the focus should be elsewhere. the problem here in the netherlands is that we don't have enough capacity in hospitals for the people, so raise that up, and i know it's not a thing that can be erased in two or three months, but we don't do anything about it, so maybe we should solve that problem and not put everybody inside the houses, make them unhappy, because unhappy people get sick. more than 85% of adults in the netherlands are fully vaccinated. infections were up 18% this week compared with the week before christmas, but hospitalisations have dropped considerably to their lowest point in two months. and after a slow start, the dutch booster programme is gaining momentum. everyone who wants a booster shot should be able to get one by next week. the lockdown will remain until at least the 14th of january. a decision on when to lift it is expected this week. children's rights groups are among the 60 organisations that have appealed to ministers to allow pupils to return to class as scheduled on the 10th. a few days then, and 2022 is already displaying familiar struggles many hoped would be over by this year. anna holligan, bbc news. young people in india aged between 15 and 18 have now become eligible for the coronavirus vaccines. it comes as the country records its sharpest ever weekly surge in infections. 0ur correspondent in mumbai yogita limaye has more. india is in the grips of another wave of covid—19. mumbai is the worst—affected city, accounting for a quarter of all new infections in this country. i've been speaking to doctors in both public and private hospitals who say that for now, the number of people needing medical care is low, but it is increasing. they also warn that if a large number of people get infected very quickly, that even if a smaller percentage need hospital beds, it could still overwhelm public health infrastructure really quickly. they are reminding people of the second wave which was devastating in this country. so many people died without even being seen by a doctor. the other thing they are raising concern about is boosterjabs have not yet been ruled out for front line health care workers and many of them are falling sick which could further affect capacity. the government has announced that these vaccinations will be rolled out next week. today vaccines were rolled out for teenagers aged 15 to 18. the home—grown vaccine has been rolled out for teenagers. the other thing that is happening in the country is mass campaign rallies for upcoming regional elections were tens of thousands of people are gathering many not wearing masks, many political leaders not wearing masks on stage. we have seen that including the prime minister. so doctors say the government need to get the messaging right. people need to be wearing masks and following social distancing protocols. a legal document, which the duke of york's lawyer believes will stop the civil case against him in the us, is expected to be made public today. prince andrew's lawyers say a settlement made in 2009 between virginia giuffre and sex offenderjeffrey epstein will release him from liability in the case brought by ms giuffre, who accuses him of sexual assault when she was 17. he has consistently denied the claims. our legal correspondent dominic casciani explained what effect a ruling from the judge tomorrow could have on the rest of the case. i think we are going to have a lot of noise today, but then i think it is going to go to a judge in new york tomorrow to actually hear what this document really amounts to. this document has been a confidential secret document for more than a decade now. it is getting unsealed, in the american language, which basically means it becomes public. now in her original action in florida, virginia giuffre, who brings these allegations against prince andrew, says that she was exploited notjust by epstein, but by his closest male peers, including in her words, "royalty". now she has never defined who that is. prince andrew's lawyers say that all the allegations that she makes are completely baseless. they are not true, but even if they were, this document prevents her from bringing the action. and this is the critical point in this case, really, because if the judge rules that this document does effectively bar any action, then it is game over for her and the case stops. however, of course, if the document is a little bit legally open to interpretation, there's going to be a lot of legal argument and that is going to go on tomorrow. we are going to hear further arguments from the prince's lawyers that the case should be thrown out on all sorts of other grounds, including the fact that complaint and doesn't even live in the united states. meanwhile, she is saying she wants evidence that the prince himself does not sweat. if you remember, he said on newsnight that in an alleged meeting between them where she said he sweated profusely. he said it could not have happened because he does not sweat. so there there's a lot to go into in the next couple of days in the new york's court. sudan faces an uncertain political future following the resignation of its civilian prime minister, abdalla hamdok. he'd only been back in office for six weeks, after being ousted in a military coup in october. stephanie prentice reports. gunfire. weeks of violent protests, the youth mobilised in the streets. and deadly confrontations with police. protesters here prepared to give up everything to demand democratic civilian rule but now a new year is bringing in new problems for them. the sudanese prime minister abdalla hamdok has confirmed he will now step down while thousands marched against his recent deal to agree to share power with the army, his absence leaves the army solely in charge. translation: i have tried my best to stop the country from sliding towards disaster. sudan is closing down a dangerous turning point that threatens its whole survival. on sunday, military forces staged another violent crackdown on dissent in khartoum. but that hasn't deterred many of those in the streets. translation: i think the international community does not have the final say, the street has the final say and the international community can move according to what the street wants. it's a defiance that hasn't waned since military abruptly took over from the civilian—led government even when they back—pedalled, reinstating mr hamdok. for the protesters, the prime minister must leave power entirely. —— for the protesters, the military must leave power entirely. and while the people may be in the streets in hoodies and t—shirts against the heavily armed security forces, they have a powerful force in their corner. with us secretary of state antony blinken condemning the military and threatening punitive action. on social media, activists have said 2022 will be the year of the continuation of the resistance. translation: revenge is something generally associated _ with any military coup, this will only push the sudanese youth to continue their path to achieving all their demands. demands against an army that say they will not tolerate protest and within a country that's on the brink of total collapse. a fire at the south african parliament building appears to have got worse over the past hour. these are the latest pictures from the houses of parliament in cape town — where more smoke has been coming from the building. on sunday a man was arrested in connection with the fire. tributes have been paid to the renowned kenyan conservationist and fossil hunter richard leakey, who has died at the age of 77. he unearthed evidence that helped prove the african origins of early humans, and led the campaign against the poaching of elephants for their ivory. kenyan president kenyatta said he had served the country with distinction. queen elizabeth will celebrate her platinum jubilee this year, when she becomes the first british monarch to reign for 70 years. the queen is set to pass the milestone on 6 february, the anniversary of the death of her father, king george vi, in 1952. national festivities to mark the unprecedented jubilee will take place injune over a four—day bank holiday weekend. our royal correspondent, daniela relph, looks at the significance ofjubilees. first came the silver. the gold coach was on its way to st paul's and a service of thanksgiving. band plays. trumpeters play. 25 years later, it was the golden. cheering. more recently, the diamond. the queen is a veteran of a jubilee. brian, christine and dave, neighbours on park street in salisbury, which looked very different ten years ago. the team photo, the residents of park street held a diamond jubilee street party in 2012. it was much more than that. the months of planning brought neighbours together. new friendships were made, community spirit was strengthened. it's your sense of identity, and belonging to this nation, as it were. you know what i mean? i'm welsh, but it didn't matter. she is our queen. it's that feeling, and getting together, one big family, as it were. one big memory is the colourful tables bending, groaning under the weight of the food. there was definitely no shortage of cakes and colourful foods. brian, no one has lived longer on park street than you have. but it was transformed that day. what was it like here on the day? well, not seeing any parked cars was rather nice. and on this nice big open street where we had tables and chairs and bunting and people enjoying themselves. the milford street bridge mural was created in salisbury for the diamond jubilee, after people here were asked for their royal memories. each image represents someone's recollection. a permanent reminder of royal history. this year, salisbury and communities across the uk will turn their minds to the queen's platinum jubilee, where much of the focus will be on creating a lasting legacy to mark the longest reign in british history. and this year, that lasting legacy wants us all to get planting. you stick all these things in. back in october, the queen met local schoolchildren, and launched the tree planting season on her balmoral estate. thank you very much, that's very kind. it's part of a uk—wide project to get trees planted to mark the platinum jubilee. alongside a four—day bank holiday weekend injune, for a national celebration. jubilees are markers of history. they are also a chance to party, to remember and to connect. perhaps never more so than this year. daniela relph, bbc news, salisbury. you are watching bbc news. hello again. our weather is set to get a lot colder for many of us over the next 2a hours. if you think back to saturday, new year's day, we had temperatures as high as 16 degrees in kinlochewe, which is in the highlands of scotland, 15 in edinburgh. across the board by tomorrow, it is going to be a lot colder. temperatures in the highlands about 4 in kinlochewe and 4, as well, in edinburgh. the change to much colder weather has already started to take place in scotland. these northerly winds will continue to dive southwards across the whole of the uk, reaching the south by tuesday. so this afternoon is where the colder air is. across scotland rain moving into the far north of england and northern ireland, too. south of this, a lot of dry weather, the last of the mild days with temperatures still reaching double figures. through the afternoon those temperatures dropping in scotland, highs of around 2 degrees for a time in scotland through the afternoon. overnight tonight things turn icy with showers frequently moving into scotland. some of those will be of snow. the band of rain continues southwards across england and wales. still mild across the far south — 7 degrees. but otherwise a frost is going to be quite widespread, particularly in the countryside. so a cold start to the day on tuesday. we will have frequent snow showers, accumulations maybe around 2—5cm here. more on the highest ground. and the winds could get very strong for a time towards the middle part of the day, particularly in orkney where we could get gusts of 60, maybe 70 mph for a time, so, very blustery. temporary blizzard conditions over the higher ground in scotland as well. wintry showers moving down the irish sea into the north of wales, north—west england. could see a little bit of sleet or snow mixed in with some of those but the lion's share of the snow showers will be across scotland, that's where we will see most of the accumulations. for wednesday there will be further showers coming down the eastern coasts of scotland and england, a few of those could be wintry and there will be frequent showers as well affecting north wales and north west england, perhaps running on to the north west midlands. another fairly chilly day, particularly in those cold winds. then for thursday a weather front moves into that cold air. there will be a spell of snow on the leading edge of this system but the snow will tend to become confined to the high ground for many as milder air pushes in for at least for a time. we could see some of the snow lasting for quite a while to the east of the pennines and eastern areas of scotland, so there may be one or two issues, more especially over high ground. that's your weather. this is bbc news — the headlines: the uk prime minister says there is no reason forfurther measures in england despite a surge of cases due to the omicron variant. health advisers to the dutch government are meeting today to discuss whether schools should re—open there next week, after closing early last term to reduce the risk of children infecting older relatives over christmas. india has begun vaccinating 15 to 18—year—olds, as the country records its sharpest—ever weekly rise in infections. cases almost tripled in the week to sunday, with 130,000 new infections registered. a legal document which prince andrew's lawyer believes will stop a civil case against him in the us, has been made public. the duke of york has consistently denied sexually assaulting virginia giuffre when she was 17.