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Emerging evidence suggests the variant that emerged in the UK may be more deadly as well as spread faster.
The UK's chief medical adviser warns that "a very small change and it could start taking off again".
The House will send an impeachment article, or charge, to the Senate on Monday.
Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Friday evening.
Worship has been suspended as burials average 15-a-day, yet still there is denial about the disease.
A 14-year-old boy is suspected of murder over "inconceivable violence" before Keon Lincoln's death.
The chief rabbi has described the event as a "shameful desecration of all that we hold dear".
Under coronavirus restrictions a maximum of 30 people are meant to attend a funeral.
Two people died in the blaze at the Cameron House hotel in West Dunbartonshire three years ago.
Thirty-nine Vietnamese migrants suffocated in a sealed container en route to Essex in October 2019.
A bunker built during the Cold War is being auctioned with a guide price of £25,000.
Ex-postman Nathan Evans, TikTok's sea shanty star, lands a music deal, but can his new career last?
Democrat Ala'a and Republican Caleb, both 16, on whether President Biden's call for unity can be achieved.
The 78-year-old Scottish comedian received his first dose of the vaccine near his home in Florida.
Doctors in the rainforest’s biggest city Manaus are struggling to control rising numbers of deaths from Covid-19 and soaring cases.
Scottish postie Nathan Evans has quit his job and signed to a record label after storming TikTok with sea shanties.
When her friends died in childbirth, a Nigerian woman hatched a plan to make a difference.
Annette keeps in touch with her two granddaughters by reading to them over video call.
The author behind the book speaks exclusively to the BBC about the news of a second series.
Busts of influential civil rights leaders sit alongside portraits of famous presidents.
The world's first coronavirus quarantine began in Wuhan a year ago - how has China changed since then?
BBC correspondents look at why their local authorities are in trouble - and it isn't just Covid...
The Hollywood star explains why a role in the hit French comedy series was too good to refuse.
Some of those leading the nation's vaccination effort have told of their experiences.
When Farah Sayeed told her mother she wasn't coming home after university, it caused a painful rift.
Africa will have to wait "weeks if not months" before getting WHO-approved vaccines, officials say.
As a cheap and reliable way to store information, the humble QR code is finding new uses.
Staff shortages have proved a problem for Barts NHS Trust, which is struggling amid the second wave.
Andy Murray will miss the Australian Open after failing to find a "workable quarantine" solution following his positive test for coronavirus.
Angelo Mathews grinds out a century for Sri Lanka as England's bowlers toil on a hard-fought first day of the second Test in Galle.
In-form uncapped duo Paolo Odogwu and Harry Randall are named in England's squad for the forthcoming Six Nations.
Watch the pre-fight weigh-in between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier before their lightweight bout on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.
There is some evidence that the new UK variant may be more deadly, says PM Boris Johnson.
The R number is a simple but crucial figure at the heart of lockdown decisions across the UK.
Two of the three approved Covid vaccines are being rolled out across the UK, so when might you get one?
The length of quarantine has changed for contacts and people arriving from abroad.
How does it work when a government wants to borrow money, and when does it have to pay it back?
As most schools close across the UK, lessons from BBC Bitesize move on to BBC Two and CBBC.
People across the country are being urged to "double down" and stick to the lockdown rules.
Schools are currently closed across the UK to most pupils.
Immunity is the crucial question and understanding it will tell us how the pandemic will end.
Stamp duty changes introduced to boost the housing market are due to end in March.
Unlike many countries, the UK has not banned travel despite new variants emerging here and overseas.
Mass testing can reduce the transmission of Covid-19 - especially by those who do not have symptoms.
Millions in the UK have now received the Pfizer Covid-19 jab, the first vaccine to be approved.
With similar symptoms, deciding whether or not you need to get tested for coronavirus can be tricky.
We answer some of your questions about vaccination, travel rules and school closures
Asad Bhatti is accused of terrorism offences after police raided a property in Redhill, Surrey.
Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris says the 90 trains are not expected in service until early summer.
We answer questions about the roll out of vaccinations to the elderly and vulnerable.
Kent Police say it was the biggest plot to supply fake notes ever uncovered in the UK.
Four charities will refurbish and profit from bikes left at Southern Railway's stations for months.
The move leaves the chain on the brink of collapse, with the possible loss of up to 12,000 jobs.
Two men are killed when their Volkswagen Golf is involved in a two-car crash in Chertsey.
Attendance figures show 46% of secondary schools had pupils isolating because of Covid outbreaks.
A 15-year-old boy groomed by a drugs gang was left "high and dry" by social workers, his mother says.
Christmas gatherings were cut back but was there still an impact on Covid cases?
Coronavirus lockdown rules are changing across the UK, but who is responsible for enforcing them?
Public Health England answer questions about vaccinations, shop workers and lockdown.
People across the country are being urged to "double down" and stick to the lockdown rules.
A second coronavirus vaccine - from Oxford University/AstraZeneca - has been approved.
National League North and National League South are suspended for two weeks amid discontent over funding.
The FA Cup fourth-round tie between Bournemouth and Crawley is rescheduled to Tuesday, 26 January.
Sussex sign highly-rated teenage left-arm seamer Sean Hunt from Surrey.
Portsmouth continue their impressive League One form with a sixth successive clean sheet in a big win against AFC Wimbledon.
Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy join a host of international stars who have been retained by their respective teams for this summer's Hundred competition.
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1. How to get your emails under control. Still ploughing through your post-festive break emails? Or are you an inbox-zero type who has already dealt with the deluge? For those still catching up, here are some tips on handling an overwhelming inbox and some tricks that will come in handy next time you return from a break. [MORE] 2. Year 2020 was better than you think. For many, 2020 was a disastrous year, but it wasn’t all bad. Here are several achievements to celebrate. [1] The ozone hole over Antarctica closed; [2] Germany is changing 62 military bases into nature reserves; [3] Whales came back to the Atlantic Ocean after more than 100 years; [4] Britain reported the smallest number of people that became infected with HIV in history; and [5] the vaccine against Covid-19 became the fastest developed vaccine in history. Sir David Attenborough 3. Firms bend lockdown rules. Companies have been accused of putting workers’ lives at risk by bending lockdown rules. The Observer says the “irresponsible firms” exploit looser regulations to bring thousands of non-essential workers into busy workplaces. No enforcement notices have been served on companies by Health and Safety Executive inspectors for Covid safety breaches since the country went into the latest lockdown despite them being contacted 2,945 times. Metro 4. Fake commutes have real benefits. It can be a walk around the block. It can be a stop at your local coffee pickup counter or your favourite drive-thru. Many workers have replaced their pre-coronavirus commutes with allotted time around work shifts where they break away from what can be the monotony of working from home, also known as the pretend or "fake commute." Personally, I miss having a clear dividing line in my weekday. Researchers recommend this practice as a means to fend off burnout. WSJ 5. Economy to ‘get worse before better’. The chancellor warned that he expects the UK economy to “get worse before it gets better”, with the latest lockdown slowing chances of economic recovery. His economic update came as the Federation of Small Businesses warned that one in five firms had cut staff in the previous quarter and 5% expect to close in the next year, equating to around 250,000 companies. Its survey of small businesses found that confidence is at its lowest level since the coronavirus lockdown in March of last year, due to the pressures of Covid-19 and Brexit. CityAM |
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6. Dream team conquers K2 in winter. Here's a story to lift the spirits. Ten Nepali climbers have claimed the greatest prize left in mountaineering: the first winter ascent of K2. Their conquest of one of the world's highest peaks, known as the savage mountain, comes after six winter failures since the 1980s and is a remarkable achievement. BBC 7. Doing good boosts emotions. Voluntary work doesn’t just do good for the recipients, but can also give the volunteer a boost, research shows. A UK study found that 68% of people helping out schools with a range of activities, from mentoring to mock interviews, gave them greater motivation in their own work. Eight in 10 of the volunteers also felt they improved their own communication skills. Many people on our 10/10 programme have shared their own experiences, whether delivering a neighbour's shopping or offering a friendly phone call to combat loneliness. People Management 8. Furlough struggle for working mums. More than 70% of working mothers who asked to be furloughed after schools closed had their requests refused, according to a TUC survey. The results also showed almost half of women were worried that childcare responsibilities could result in negative treatment at work, and 90% said they felt more stressed or anxious during the latest lockdown. The TUC general secretary said that mothers are “shouldering the majority of childcare” and that it is “not sustainable” for parents to work as normal while looking after children and supervising school-work. The Guardian 9. Bosses get a new job description. The working world has undergone a dramatic shift amid the pandemic, with remote work and organizational changes accelerating a new trend in management. As bosses continue to oversee increasing numbers of employees and their traditional tasks get overtaken by automation, experts predict managers’ roles will shift from that of an authoritarian figure to a nurturing mentor. That means providing more emotional support for employees and helping them navigate organisations, requiring bosses to become “social-emotional experts” in order to gain trust, boost engagement and foster collaboration. WSJ 10. The bottom line. Britain’s gyms, swimming pools and leisure facilities, which have had to close during the current lockdown, are losing £90m a week, according to campaign group ukactive. January is usually a busy month for the sector as people seek to stick to their New Year resolutions. Daily Mail |
The chief medical officer warns that in some ages groups Covid cases may still be going up.
The UK chief scientific adviser says data suggests a higher death rate among those infected with the new variant.
A team of volunteers at an east London mosque reflect on the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Health experts keep discussing the value of R, but what is it and why does it matter?
Scottish postie Nathan Evans has quit his job and signed to a record label after storming TikTok with sea shanties.
Annette keeps in touch with her two granddaughters by reading to them over video call.
Dr Nighat Araf records messages in Urdu and Punjabi, urging people to trust the Covid jab.
Robert and Claire Davies stayed with friends after concern their bungalow might be flooded.
More rain and snow is expected in the next week with the prime minister urging people to follow advice to stay safe.
There have been concerns about scepticism towards the vaccine in some Muslim communities.
John opens up to Hollyoaks actor on 5 Live Drive about how a storyline saved their life.
Attacked because of her disability, Andrea was left with a fractured skull and a perforated eardrum.
An emergency call handler paralysed below the waist walks one mile to raise funds for the NHS.
Cancer patient Luke Grenfell-Shaw completes the first part of his round-the-world challenge.
Dinosaurs In Love went viral, musician Tom Rosenthal and his daughter Fenn were the ones behind it.
Senior mortician Hannah Leahy says the level of Covid fatalities is taking its toll on staff the Royal London Hospital.
Kathleen celebrated her milestone birthday at her care home in Exeter, where staff and residents had a party.
Martin Freeborn's wife, Helen, lost her fight against Covid at the Royal London Hospital, where staff are struggling to cope with rising admissions.
Expert’s report finds eight-year-old Saffie ‘could have been saved’ if treated adequately for her injuries.
'Truth pages', where students share their experiences of racism, have been on appearing on social media since the killing of George Floyd.
Jumping on a plane looks and feels different to how it did before the pandemic
The health secretary says everyone must continue to "stay at home whenever possible".
Kori, from Ripley in Derbyshire, was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
The chief executive of NHS England is optimistic about vaccinating all adults before Autumn this year.
The foreign secretary added there would be a crackdown on those failing to isolate after travelling abroad.
