UK

The UK has recorded its highest daily increase in the number of COVID-related deaths of the pandemic, with 1,325 fatalities. Government figures also show the UK recorded 68,053 new coronavirus cases – the highest daily total of the pandemic so far. Responding to the announcement, a spokesperson for Public Health England (PHE) said “we can

All travellers to England from overseas will need to test negative for coronavirus before they are allowed to enter the country, the government has announced. The test will need to be taken up to 72 hours before their departure – and failure to comply will result in an immediate £500 fine. Arrivals by boat, plane

The GP surgery visited by the health secretary to mark the expanded rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has not yet received any of it. Matt Hancock was at Bloomsbury Surgery in Camden, north London on Thursday, as the government’s plans to offer a COVID-19 jab to the most vulnerable by the middle of next

A 13-year-old girl, a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy have been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm in connection with the death of 13-year-old Olly Stephens. The trio, all from Reading, have been remanded in custody to appear in Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Two other boys, both aged 13,

Teacher assessments will replace GCSE and A-level exams in England this summer, the education secretary has announced. “This year, we’re going to put our trust in teachers, rather than algorithms,” Gavin Williamson told MPs in the Commons. Setting out his plans for students as MPs prepared to vote on England’s latest lockdown, Mr Williamson said

It’s rare to see images of the UK’s COVID wards now, with few journalists allowed access. But an anaesthetist in London – who also happens to have a passion for photography – has been sharing “honest” and “personal” photographs of what is happening in what is currently one of the busiest hospitals in the country.

The government “should be able” to begin easing England’s coronavirus lockdown in March, a senior minister has told Sky News. Michael Gove said the public should not expect a sudden relaxation of the COVID-19 rules, with restrictions “progressively” relaxed instead. “The government is doing everything it can in order to ensure that we can roll

Boris Johnson has announced a new national lockdown for England – with people instructed to “stay at home” as they did during last March’s first shutdown. The prime minister revealed the action in an eight-minute TV address on Monday night, after being told that COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly in every part of the country

Boris Johnson will make a TV address tonight to set out “further steps” to combat the spread of COVID-19. The prime minister is expected to speak at 8pm, while parliament will be recalled to sit on Wednesday amid calls for a third national lockdown in England. Live COVID updates as PM to address the nation

A murder investigation has been launched after a 13-year-old boy was stabbed to death. Thames Valley Police were called to reports of a knife attack in Bugs Bottom fields in the Emmer Green area of Reading at around 3.50pm on Sunday. The teenager died of his injuries at the scene. His family have been told

Boris Johnson has said “there is no doubt in my mind that schools are safe” in areas where they are open – as he warned of tighter restrictions in the coming weeks. As pressure mounted on the prime minister to keep all of England’s schools closed when the new term starts, Mr Johnson insisted education

Hundreds of new vaccination sites are expected to be up and running this week as the NHS expands its coronavirus immunisation programme. Some 530,000 doses of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine will be available across the UK from Monday. At first, only a small number of hospital will distribute the vaccine but after a few days,

Public Health England (PHE) has said it does not recommend mixing COVID-19 vaccines from different suppliers. The warning comes as distribution of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is due to start in the UK next week, the second roll-out following the launch of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in December, with both requiring two doses. On New Year’s Eve,

Boris Johnson is facing calls to close every school in England after an embarrassing government U-turn which means all primary schools in London will remain shut next week. A union leader claimed what was right for London was right for the rest of the country and called on ministers to “do their duty” and close

Police have broken up scores of parties across England and issued hundreds of fines as people ignored orders to stay in and celebrate New Year at home. Gatherings were broken up from Lancashire to Brighton, while in one Essex COVID hotspot officers had objects thrown at them at a large party in a disused church.

The UK has welcomed in 2021, saying goodbye to a year that for many was the strangest, toughest or even worst in recent memory. It was ushered in by the chimes of Big Ben – an hour after the nation’s clock marked the end of the Brexit transition period – without any of the thousands