the ministerial code says that ministers who knowingly mislead parliament will be expected to offer their resignation. does the prime minister believe that applies to him? and for all sorts of reasons, many people may want me out of the way. but i'll tell you the reason he wants me out of the way. because he knows that this government can be trusted to deliver! a reduction of 500,000 in the past two weeks in the number of people with coronavirus in the uk. and a special report on how many siblings are separated when they go into care. and coming up in the sport, on the bbc news channel... britain's alfie hewett is gunning for a second title at melbourne park tomorrow, following a sensational victory in the wheelchair doubles with partner gordon reid. good evening. prince andrew is demanding a trial byjury and has formally denied all the allegations against him as he gave a court in new york his official response to allegations of sexual assault. virginia giuffre accuses the duke of york of forcing her to have sex more than two decades ago at the london home of the convicted sex trafficker ghislaine maxwell. the 11—page document sets out the duke's detailed response, strongly denying that he abused ms giuffre when she was 17. 0ur royal correspondent nicholas witchell has more details. across 11 pages, andrew's lawyers have set out his defence. a denial of the central allegation of sexual abuse made by virginia giuffre and an assertion that andrew lacks sufficient information to either admit or deny what has been claimed. he says for example in relation to the widely publicised picture of the two of them that he doesn't have information to admit or deny that there exist photographic evidence of his alleged meeting with virginia giuffre. elsewhere his lawyers assert that virginia giuffre�*s civil complaint should be dismissed because she is a permanent resident of australia and not domiciled in the united states. and they say this. virginia giuffre�*s course of action is barred wholly or in part by her own wrongful conduct. and they say prince andrew hereby demands a trial byjury on all courses of action asserted in the complaint. all of which suggests that andrew is determined to fight it out in court, though lawyers say this doesn't preclude an out—of—court settlement. you this doesn't preclude an out-of-court settlement. you can certainly have _ out-of-court settlement. you can certainly have a _ out-of-court settlement. you can certainly have a settlement - out-of-court settlement. you can l certainly have a settlement further down the road, between now and a trial, it is not shocking to see something like that happen. but sometimes there are cases where no amount of money will make them go away. there are times when a victim wants their day in court. find away. there are times when a victim wants their day in court.— wants their day in court. and that certainly seems _ wants their day in court. and that certainly seems to _ wants their day in court. and that certainly seems to be _ wants their day in court. and that certainly seems to be virginia - certainly seems to be virginia giuffre's intention. her lawyers say they look forward to confronting prince andrew with his denials and his attempts to blame her for her own abuse at the trial. nicholas witchell, bbc news. let's join our correspondent nada tawfik, who's in new york for us. you have looked at this document. what does it tell us about the likely strategy in defence? well, it was no real— likely strategy in defence? well, it was no real surprise _ likely strategy in defence? well, it was no real surprise how _ likely strategy in defence? well, it was no real surprise how prince . was no real surprise how prince andrew's legal team would respond to the overall allegations. they denied them strongly. what is notable, though, is how they deal with two pieces of evidence listed in the complaint against him. first that notorious photo of prince andrew with his arms around virginia giuffre with his friend ghislaine maxwell in the background, and the second, an e—mailfrom 2015 maxwell in the background, and the second, an e—mail from 2015 that prince andrew allegedly wrote to maxwell, now a convicted sex offender, asking if they could talk because he had questions about virginia giuffre. his lawyers responded that they did not have enough evidence to deny or admit the existence of those, and sacked signals that they are leaving the door open for a strategy on how to deal with those two matters. also in this document, prince andrew's legal team list nearly a dozen lines of defence. 0ne team list nearly a dozen lines of defence. one of them, known as the doctrine of unclean hands. what we heard there in the package where they say that virginia giuffre is barred from suing because she allegedly has her own wrongful conduct. remember, she has admitted in the past two recruiting young girls for epstein, although she said she did that under duress. and in response, her lawyer has said that prince andrew's legal team is trying to blame the victim and they look forward to confronting him. man? forward to confronting him. many thanks for the _ forward to confronting him. many thanks for the latest _ forward to confronting him. many thanks for the latest from - forward to confronting him. many thanks for the latest from new york. today's other main story. borisjohnson is adamant that he won't resign as prime minister despite a rising chorus of criticism and a police inquiry into gatherings at downing street during lockdown. the long—awaited official report by a senior civil servant has still not been published, and it could be monday before it appears. whether it's published in full remains to be seen. as the day wore on, he faced new allegations of lying, this time on approving the rescue of animals from afghanistan during the crisis last summer. 0ur political editor laura kuenssberg has the latest. busy doing nothing much. waiting, wondering if the findings of a report into rule—breaking in downing street will make life impossible for boris johnson. 0ther ministers, trying to concentrate on serious matters of the day... can you survive this, prime minister? - ..anxiety, anticipation about what the next few hours would bring. the prime minister, eager not to show any nerves to his backbench troops. cheered at lunchtime, but with questions pressing, can that mood prevail? how much damage are the prime minister and his cabinet prepared to do to save his skin? let me just remind the house what's been going on in downing street. we've been prioritising the covid backlogs, mr speaker. and when the official verdict into what really went on is ready, will we see it all? can the prime minister confirm that he will publish the full sue gray report as he receives it? of course, i will do exactly what i said. remember, the official civil service inquiry isn't the only one that lurks. we now have the shameful spectacle of a prime minister of the united kingdom being subject to a police investigation. isn't this a prime minister and a government that have shown nothing but contempt for the decency, honesty and respect that define this country? and, for all sorts of reasons, many people may want me out of the way, but i'll tell you the reason he wants me out of the way, it's because he knows that this government can be trusted to deliver. and we're — and particularly i — am getting on with the job. a public show of force. but it's the private world behind number 10's show that's been exposed. it's a business meeting! laughter. allegations of parties in the press office exploded with a cringeworthy video of staffers joking about how they'd explain it away. and it's not socially distanced. can you stop? i'm going to make - a statement, you don't... the tears of the former press spokesperson allegra stratton, the first casualty of this whole mess. then admissions of various other gatherings in whitehall when the country was locked down. revelations of bring—your—own—booze drinks in the downing street garden, organised by none other than martin reynolds, one of the most senior staff by borisjohnson�*s side. a basement booze—up during the national mourning for prince philip. and then, just this week, news of a birthday celebration for the prime minister in the cabinet room during lockdown. lulu, why did you go - to borisjohnson's party? lulu lytle, the interior designer of the renovation of the number 10 flat, briefly there, along with borisjohnson�*s wife. the painful question all the way through — how could the people who wrote the lockdown rules have broken them, too? this whole place is in a deeply uncomfortable limbo. the report into what went on in downing street is still not out even though it was essentially complete, apart from last—minute checks, last night. the questions about the integrity and truthfulness of what happened have still not been answered, and just when those doubts are swirling thick and fast, a new, separate contradiction has emerged. remember this? the desperate images of the evacuation of kabul when it fell to the taliban. there were claims that the prime minister interfered to prioritise rescuing animals from a british man, pen farthing's, charity. that was fiercely denied at the time. but e—mails published by a westminster committee today give a very different picture, referring to the "prime minister's decision", saying in writing... that's a total contradiction of what borisjohnson said last month. did you intervene in that way? no, that's complete nonsense... marrying up different versions of events has been part of this government's problem. mps sent home tonight without the official report into parties coming out, so accusations hover, still waiting for a verdict. the prime minister hopes for political escape. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. the united states has given its formal response to russian demands in relation to ukraine. russia had published a list of its concerns, including a demand that ukraine never be allowed to join the nato military alliance. the us secretary of state, antony blinken, said he was offering a serious diplomatic path forward, should russia want it. but he warned the us was acting with equal focus to bolster ukraine's defences. moscow has deployed an estimated 100,000 soldiers near the border in both belarus and russia. president putin has accused western nations of aggressive expansion into russia's sphere of influence. he claims one of his key concerns is the expansion of nato, the military alliance of european states with the us and canada. many countries in eastern europe became members after the fall of the soviet union. 0ur eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford reports from kyiv. matches. needle, etc. medicals and bandages, medicine. yuri is getting ready for a war he hopes he never sees. he's packed an emergency bag to grab and go if russian bombs or troops reach kyiv. a basic survival kit for the worst possible scenario. what does it actually feel like to be doing this? it's unbelievable. i understand it, i am living now in the 21st century. i'm amazed that i should do this, that i should pack this bag, but this is what i have to do to keep my family safe. yuri thinks a major escalation in ukraine's eight—year—long war with russia is unlikely. he just feels better being prepared for it. today the us government strongly advised its citizens to leave ukraine. the government here calls warnings of a major new incursion by russia alarmist, but it's not ignoring the of troops deployed near its border. a few weeks ago, the authorities here actually released a map with all the bomb shelters, and just look at it. there's thousands of them, 5000, in fact, all over the city. marking a map, though, is the easy bit. and this is one of the official bomb shelters, supposedly. so either nobody here's expecting war to break out any minute now, or they're just not very well prepared for it. the metro might be a safer bet, deep below ground. if the air raid siren sounds, people will have 20 minutes to get down here. there's so much talk now outside ukraine about the possibility of the conflict escalating, of an russian invasion, it's quite weird being here inside kyiv itself and realising that people are just going about their ordinary lives. there is no sense of panic here at all. do you think it's possible that the conflict could actually reach kyiv? i don't know. i don't have any information about that, so i'm just living my best life right now and hoping that everything will be ok. did you make any kind of preparations, or any...? no, no. so, as western governments wrestle with moscow's ultimatums and demands, ukrainians for now are getting on with a life they've long lived, in the shadow of russian threats and aggression. sarah rainsford, bbc news, kyiv. 0ur correspondent barbara plett usher is in washington. when we look at the nature of these responses, where do you think it leaves us?— leaves us? well, it's a good question- — leaves us? well, it's a good question- i _ leaves us? well, it's a good question. i mean, - leaves us? well, it's a good question. i mean, basically| leaves us? well, it's a good - question. i mean, basically what it is, these written responses are something for which russia has been waiting. so, they are essentially a test to see if diplomacy will work. the secretary of state, antony blinken, said they were not any surprises. the americans are still rejecting russia's main demands, that nato prevent ukraine from joining and rollback the presence of eastern europe. they have deployments and exercises. and nato sent a separate document, making similar offers. it falls far short of what russia wants, and the kremlin warned that there would be retaliatory measures if the divans are rejected. first, there will be talks. the delivery of this paper sets out a meeting between the us secretary of state and the russian foreign minister. so, it keeps the diplomatic channels open, but it is not clear whether channel is going to lead. ~ . , not clear whether channel is going to lead. , ., ., ., not clear whether channel is going tolead. ., ., ., to lead. many thanks again. barbara plett usher at _ to lead. many thanks again. barbara plett usher at the _ to lead. many thanks again. barbara plett usher at the state _ to lead. many thanks again. barbara plett usher at the state departmentj plett usher at the state department in washington. nearly three million people in the uk had coronavirus last week according to the latest research. that's roughly one in 20 people, but a reduction of half a million compared with the previous week. but the number of children getting covid has increased. among the latest policy changes, in northern ireland the use of vaccine passports in some indoor settings such as pubs, restaurants and cinemas was scrapped today. 0ur health editor hugh pym has the latest. it is the last day in england for compulsory mask wearing in some indoor public spaces. tomorrow, plan b measures will end, with covid passes as well as face coverings no longer mandatory. but some, like tom, are anxious that people remain cautious. he has an immune deficiency and knows he is at higher risk from covid. putting a mask on may restrict you for the one minute you are in the shop or the two minutes you do your grocery shopping, but, actually, it will make the individual feel better, allow them to live more of a normal life and it will definitely reduce their anxiety, so just awareness of others would be amazing. restrictions in northern ireland are being eased today, with nightclubs reopening under indoor standing events such as concerts allowed again, no proof of vaccination or a negative test result will be required. —— although proof of vaccination. the latest survey suggests there were just under 3 million people who had a virus in the uk last week. that was down although falling at a slower rate than before. in england, where one in 20 had a virus, wales one in 30 and scotland one in 30, case rates were lower but in northern ireland, with one in 20, the trend was said to be uncertain. at the population level, things are looking much better than they were a few weeks ago. most, if not all of the indicators are moving in the right direction and that is good news, we just need to keep a steady state and watch, of course, the changes that are being introduced in terms of policies, what their impact will be on infections in the community. infections in england fell in all age groups except among children. since the return of schools earlier this month, cases have picked up, with increases in the last week among primary and secondary school pupils. we've got children off across the school, i think we are up to the high 20s of children who had tested positive but, on top of that, we have staff whose children have tested positive, so they are trying to juggle childcare with their partners. it's really difficult. the question, with infection rising among children, will it spread through to older age groups? there is uncertainty to among new variants, there is one under investigation in the uk at the growth in denmark. experts, though, say it is early days. more data is needed and there is, as of now, no need for concern. hugh pym, bbc news, the latest coronavirus figures show there were more than 102,000 new infections in the latest 24—hour period. it means there were 92,000 new cases on average per day in the last week. the number of people in hospital with covid has fallen again — it isjust over 16,500. another 346 deaths were reported, that's of people who died within 28 days of a positive test. on average in the past week, there were 262 deaths per day. 0n vaccinations, just over 37 million people have had a boosterjab. that's nearly 6a.5% of those aged 12 and over. from tomorrow, the legal requirement for face coverings in public places in england will be dropped. but some businesses, transport and retailers are still advising customers to wear them. 0ur consumer affairs correspondent colletta smith is in manchester with more details. hi, from tomorrow it will no longer be a legal requirement to wear one of these in england, when you are heading into shops or indoor public spaces. but that actually means that for customers, they are once again heading into that grey area of having different rules and regulations depending on which shop or which form of transport you are using. today, we have heard from lots of different retailers, giving slightly different directions to their shoppers and customers. we have heard from sainsbury�*s and from the john lewis have heard from sainsbury�*s and from thejohn lewis partnership, which owns waitrose, saying they will be encouraging customers to continue to wear masks in stores. sainsbury�*s, saying they are keeping the posters up saying they are keeping the posters up and they will continue to make the tannoy announcements encouraging people to wear masks. morrisons, the other end of the spectrum, saying they are going to stick the government guidelines, which means customers no longer have to wear masks at all. curries say they want to encourage staff to wear masks, but not necessarily shoppers heading into the stores. in transport, the picture is mixed. if you are in london, it will still be a legal requirement to keep a mask on, on a bus or on the cheap. it else where, when it comes to transport, the picture is very different in manchester. that is not a requirement. and elsewhere in england, that is the case too. as hugh pym was saying in his piece, covid passes are no longer required, if you are heading into a nightclub or big outdoor venue. but masks are still mandatory if you are in scotland or wales, whether you are heading out to a shop from tomorrow. many thanks for taking us through that. a man who stabbed his former partner to death two days ago had a warrant issued for his arrest three weeks ago. leon mccaskre stabbed yasmin chkaifi on a street in maida vale in west london on monday morning, and he died after a driver hit him, allegedly in an attempt to stop the attack. mccaskre was accused of breaching an interim stalking protection order by approaching the mother—of—two last year. the metropolitan police has referred itself to the police watchdog. 0ne one person has died and many are missing after a ship capsized off the florida coast. 0fficials missing after a ship capsized off the florida coast. officials were alerted after rescue vessel spotted alerted after rescue vessel spotted a man clinging to the boat. the group had left the bahamas on saturday night and encountered bad weather. us officials said the incident was a failed human smuggling attempt. british aid has arrived in tonga, eleven days after an under—sea volcanic eruption and tsunami devastated entire islands and villages. bottled water, first aid kits, ppe and baby products were taken off a royal navy patrol ship, to protect the pacific island nation from the pandemic. the england captain 0wen farrell will miss the whole six nations championship with an ankle injury that requires surgery. the 30—year—old, who has 94 england caps to his name, sustained the injury while training at his club saracens, who say they expect him to be out for eight to ten weeks. the bbcjournalist ashley john—baptiste grew up in care. he always thought he was an only child. but years later, out of the blue, he received a message from a man who said he was his older brother. he says the discovery had a profound effect on his life. he set out to discover how many other siblings are separated by the care system, and what impact it has on their lives. by law, brothers and sisters should be kept together where possible. but new information from more than 200 local authorities has revealed that around half of sibling groups in care are split up. i was only a toddler when i entered the care system and i didn't leave until i was 18. to the knowledge of my various social workers and foster parents, i had no siblings. i was an only child. then what happens, in my mid—to—late 20s, as i'm still coming to terms with my own childhood, i get a message from a man on facebook who tells me that he's my brother. it was completely crazy, because, for a long time, i thought that i was kind of isolated in terms of family, that i didn't have anyone. this personal revelation made me think about the state of sibling relationships in today's care system, so i decided to investigate. freedom of information requests sent to over 200 uk local authorities have revealed that more than 12,000 looked after children are not living with at least one of their siblings. in their adoptive home, saskia and her two brothers suffered physical abuse and neglect for a decade. when they went back into council care, they were separated across different areas. i lost such a key part of myself, i think, because it was, like, us three against the world, you know? it always has been. and so, being so far away from them, it's like, oh, i'm not as strong any more. the law says siblings should be placed together when it is safe and possible to do so. where this is not appropriate, contact should be prioritised if this is right for the child. how are you feeling about meeting your brothers? excited. yeah? yeah. in scotland, new laws are giving siblings more control over their relationships. karen morrison is a veteran foster carer instrumental in these changes. 0urfamily are foster carers and it didn't take long for us to realise, you know, that these children are going into the care system and they're not going to the same place together. in fact, they don't even know when they're going to see each other again. just imagine the trauma, it must be awful. karen also runs siblings reunited, a charity providing a safe space for split—up siblings in care to meet every few months. how excited have you guys been to meet today? good. ten out of ten. ten out of ten. just because i know it's halloween. 9,000. 9,000?! an independent review of the england care system is currently under way, with findings and recommendations expected to be published later this year. in scotland, new laws are giving siblings more control over their relationships. for these brothers, however, it's time to say goodbye for now. ashleyjohn—baptiste, bbc news. that's it. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. have a very good night. good evening. wednesday brought us a largely dry day, and there was even some glimpses of sunshine around. it's been quite a long time coming for some of us. now, as we head through this evening, we've got an area of cloud bringing rain and wind across the north of the uk. stays a little bit drier and more settled for longer further south. but we've got this band of rain, this is a weather front which is moving out of scotland and northern ireland into parts of northern england and wales through the early hours of thursday. meanwhile, further north, gales or severe gales across the north of scotland could bring some travel disruption to caithness and 0rkney for instance. most of us frost—free overnight with enough of a breeze and enough cloud around to stop those temperatures falling too far. and to start thursday morning, we're going to be seeing this cold front draped across southern england and south wales, too. so, that will bring initially a band of cloud with a little patchy rain. clearing towards the south, and then we'll all be in the brighter skies. very windy to start the day across north of scotland, but those winds will gradually ease. a few showers in the north west, sunny spells elsewhere. highs between 7—13 degrees. bye— bye. this is bbc news, the headlines... prince andrew has demanded a trial byjury in the civil case brought against him by virginia giuffre. she says she was forced to have sex with the prince when she was 17. in a court document filed on wednesday, the duke's lawyers deny the allegations. the british prime minister has insisted he won't resign as the uk waits for the release of an offical report into parties held at downing street during coronavirus lockdowns. the us secretary of state has told russia there'll be no compromise on ukrainian sovereignty and on nato's open door policy. he was briefing reporters on washington's response to a set of russian security demands over ukraine. russia has some 120,000 troops near the ukrainian border, and us officials believe they're likely to attack ukraine over the next three weeks.