UK

The rapid spread of the Omicron variant will lead to a “staggering” number of COVID cases over the next few days, Dr Jenny Harries has said. While delivering a series of dire warnings about the strain to MPs on Wednesday, the chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it was probably too

Boris Johnson has suffered the biggest Conservative rebellion since the 2019 general election as almost 100 Tory MPs opposed the introduction of COVID certificates for nightclubs and large events in England. In a House of Commons vote that immediately raised further questions over the prime minister’s leadership, more than a quarter of Tory MPs opposed

A critical part of Antarctica’s “Doomsday glacier”, so called for the threat its melting would pose, is expected to change dramatically in the next 10 years, scientists have warned. Thwaites Glacier is a river of ice the size of Great Britain. The speed at which it flows has doubled in the last 30 years as

The health secretary has said the Omicron variant now represents more than 20% of COVID cases in England. Sajid Javid said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates that the current number of daily infections is around 200,000. He also said Omicron, which is thought to be much more transmissible than previous variants, represents more

Long queues are forming at COVID vaccination centres and there are reports of the NHS booking site repeatedly crashing as people scramble to get their booster jabs ahead of Christmas. There are lengthy lines outside vaccination centres as people wait to get their booster shots. One queue at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London snakes

Everyone aged 18 and over in England will have the chance to get their booster vaccine before the end of the year to combat the threat of rising Omicron variant cases, Boris Johnson has announced. The prime minister said he was launching the “Omicron Emergency Booster National Mission” to encourage everyone who is eligible to

People aged 30 and over in England are invited to book their COVID boosters from Monday, amid concerns Omicron cases will rise significantly over the next few months. There are around 7.5 million people aged 30 to 39, and 3.5 million of those are eligible for boosters from Monday, NHS England said. All eligible adults

Another 633 Omicron cases have been found in the UK – the biggest daily increase since the COVID-19 variant has been detected in the country. The latest figure brings the total number of confirmed Omicron cases to 1,898 across the country, the UK health security agency said. In England, another 618 confirmed cases of the

The UK will have more than one million Omicron cases by the end of this month if current trends continue unchanged – but booster jabs provide 70-75% protection against symptomatic infection, says the Health Security Agency. The UKHSA said in a statement: “It is projected that if current trends continue unchanged, the UK will exceed

The UK has recorded 448 new Omicron cases in the latest 24-hour period – taking the total across the country to 1,265. It comes after 249 new infections of the COVID-19 variant were reported on Thursday. The latest figures released by the UK Health Security Agency show 443 cases have been recorded in England, one

Further measures to control the spread of the Omicron variant come into force in England today – while people in Scotland are urged to defer Christmas parties in response to the variant. The legal requirement to wear masks has been extended in England to cover more indoor spaces including cinemas, theatres, churches, museums, galleries and

An undercover TV researcher has been found guilty of the torture and murder of a father of two at a cannabis farm. Christopher Guest More was convicted of killing Brian Waters at Chester Crown Court – more than 18 years after the murder. More, who had done undercover work with journalist Donal McIntyre, was arrested

The Prime Minister and his wife Carrie Johnson have announced the birth of their second child, a baby girl. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the couple said: “The prime minister and Mrs Johnson are delighted to announce the birth of a healthy baby girl at a London hospital earlier today. “Both mother and daughter

Boris Johnson has toughened coronavirus measures in England amid concern over the increasing spread of the Omicron variant. Speaking at a Downing Street news conference on Wednesday evening, the prime minister announced the measures in the government’s “Plan B” for dealing with COVID-19 this winter. Mr Johnson said it had become “increasingly clear” that Omicron,

Boris Johnson is considering the imposition of fresh coronavirus restrictions in England and a move to Plan B of the government’s strategy for dealing with COVID-19 this winter. Following the discovery of the Omicron variant, which Downing Street fears is more transmissible than the Delta variant, the prime minister is mulling tougher measures to slow

Labour has accused Number 10 staff of “laughing” at the British public after footage emerged of Downing Street officials joking about a Christmas party during a time of strict COVID restrictions. In a video recording of what ITV News reported was a rehearsal for a TV media briefing, senior Number 10 aides were filmed talking