Evening briefing: Today's essential headlines
No 10 shake-up | Criticism of Carrie Johnson is "sexist, undignified and wrong", Sajid Javid has said after the role of the Prime Minister's wife in No 10 came under fresh scrutiny. As the Prime Minister continues to shake up his top team in the wake of the "partygate" saga, his new director of communications Guto Harri started in the job today - and revealed the unusual way his boss greeted him. See the 11.49am post.
Wine warning | Sunak's alcohol tax rise 'will wipe out Brexit benefits' Holocaust joke | Sajid Javid calls for public to cancel Jimmy Carr Lockdown office beer | Sir Keir Starmer cleared by police Charles Dickens | Author's unique shorthand finally deciphered Pictured | 18 people rescued from drifting ice floe The big story: PM has 'absolutely' no doubt on Sunak
Boris Johnson arrived at a hospital in Kent to talk up his tough targets aimed at fixing the backlog on NHS waiting lists.
Yet as Rishi Sunak appeared next to him - and after the Treasury blocked the unveiling of a multi-billion pound package to tackle the NHS's problems - the attention turned to the relationship between the Prime Minister and the Chancellor.
Mr Johnson said he "absolutely" does not doubt Mr Sunak's loyalty as he moved to quash reports of infighting between the pair.
Speaking on the visit with the Chancellor to the specialist cancer centre, Mr Johnson said: "I think what we’re doing is working together across the whole of government to fix the Covid backlogs which, believe me, is a massive priority for us, for everybody in the country."
Read what he said when asked if he had any doubt about Mr Sunak's loyalty.
As Britain tries to transition to life learning to live with Covid - and dealing with its after effects - a potentially lethal virus seven times more infectious than omicron is stalking our children.
There is a commonly available vaccine against it.
But some 10 million parents in the UK are not getting their youngsters fully jabbed against it. Why?
MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) jabs were first given in the UK more than 30 years ago.
John Naish examines whether Britain is suffering from vaccine fatigue.
Covid 'Freedom Convoy'
There were reminders from around the world today that Covid still has a grip on many countries.
Police in Ottawa have announced new measures including seizing fuel to deal with an unprecedented 10-day occupation by protesting truckers that has shut down much of the core of the Canadian capital, as the mayor declared a state of emergency.
Jim Watson said that the ongoing protest over Covid measures had got "out of control", saying it was "the most serious emergency our city has ever faced".
See how the protesters have parked their big rigs on city streets and put up tents and temporary shacks - paralysing the capital.
Meanwhile, an Oxford professor has said scientists and politicians across the globe who expressed critical views of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine "probably killed hundreds of thousands of people". Read why here.
Australia reopens
Yet alongside the turmoil, there is also huge relief on the Covid-front today, after Australia announced it will reopen its borders to vaccinated travellers this month, ending two years of misery for the tourism sector.
The move effectively calls time on the last main component of Australia's response to the pandemic, which it has attributed to relatively low death and infection rates.
The other core strategy, stop-start lockdowns, was shelved for good in December.
Here is the latest holiday guidance as the country reopens but Nick Trend warns it creates new dilemmas for travellers.
Here is where you could still be locked up in quarantine hell.
Comment and analysis Nigel Farage | Partygate is a scandal. But this is why Johnson must go Norman Tebbit | Putin may invade Ukraine but he has much to lose Andrew Lilico | On inflation, Sunak can't just hide behind the BoE Simon Heffer | Camilla is one of the Royal family's greatest assets Kat Brown | British TV would be foolish not to say bye to Neighbours Around the world: UK to deploy more troops to Poland
The UK will send 350 more troops to the Polish border with Ukraine, as tensions increase and the threat of Russian invasion deepens. Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, said that the UK and Poland are discussing what the two countries could do to deter Russia from making the "foolish mistake" of invading Ukraine, and warned that Ukraine will fight if it is invaded. The move comes as Emmanuel Macron, the French president, met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow for what he called "reasonably optimistic" talks on the crisis. James Crisp analyses why Mr Macron's diplomacy with Mr Putin is a high-wire act but could pay dividends in the French elections - and read here how the Russian president has kept Crimea in his grip after its annexation.
Monday interview
'For a moment I thought I was cool – then the crowd dropped me'
Singer-songwriter James Blunt talks to Madeleine Howell about flying planes, why he bought a tuk-tuk and coming to terms with being the least cool musician in the country
Read the full interview
Sport briefing: England's attacking issues revealed
At the end of November, England vowed to re-establish their set piece as a meaningful weapon. There was evidence of this among plenty of positives in England's performance on Saturday in their 20-17 loss to Scotland. Unfortunately for Eddie Jones, however, they only accentuated some glaring and familiar negatives. In his Inside Line column, Charlie Morgan analyses England's attacking issues while Brian Moore sets out why England need to be more streetwise even if it means being cynical. At the Winter Olympics, Great Britain's curlers will take on Sweden for mixed doubles bronze at the Beijing Winter Olympics after missing out on a place in the final following a 6-5 defeat to Norway.
Editor's choice Why I opened up my marriage | The truth about (almost) monogamous relationships BBC's hunt for the new Gary Lineker | Why Mark Chapman looks the perfect fit Money Makeover | 'How do I invest ￡56,000 for my 18-year-old daughter?' Business briefing: Tesla subpoena - Spotify boss' email
Elon Musk faces a legal challenge after a tweet about Tesla, in a fresh blow for the world's largest carmaker. The US stock market watchdog issued a legal request to Tesla in November over its chief executive's infamous attempt to take the company private. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sent the carmaker a subpoena, demanding information about its compliance with a 2018 settlement that forced Mr Musk to step down as Tesla chairman, while remaining chief executive. Meanwhile, Spotify's chief executive has defiantly said he will not "silence" the podcaster Joe Rogan, despite confirming that more than 100 of his previous episodes had been removed. Read why Daniel Ek told staff in an email that "cancelling voices is a slippery slope".
Tonight starts now
Playing with Fire, review | There was something about the horrors of -living in Soviet Russia that nurtured a partic-ular kind of artistic genius, ardently spiritual, determined to rise above the moral compromises and endless struggles for existence that marked most people's lives. The pianist Maria Yudina was one of these pure souls. If her name is not as familiar as the likes of Sviatoslav Richter or Emil Gilelsr, it is only an accident of history, because in her fervent idealism and sheer native talent, she was on their level. A new biography, Playing with Fire, tells how Stalin's favourite pianist stood up to the Soviet Union.
Three things for you Watch | No Return, ITV, 9pm and the rest of tonight's TV listings Exhibition | Creating Abstraction, review: thrillingly experimental art Fantasy Fund Manager | It's back, it's free – with eight chances to win And finally... for this evening's downtime
New 50p coin | A new coin celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee launched today. As some savers turn to coin collecting to protect their money, read why you could have ￡26,000 in your pocket.
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