The list of sectors able to avoid quarantine as part of a pilot scheme is being extended – and the number of testing sites across England is being increased. To support the expansion of the daily testing pilot scheme, some 1,200 new sites are being added to 800 already in operation. The expanded scheme will
UK
For nearly six decades, Philip Wells carried a “dark secret” with him that he couldn’t even share with his wife. At the age of 10, he was taken into the care of Lambeth Council when he says he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a teacher while staying at a children’s home. Over the course of
A mother and son and their family friend who died after getting into difficulty in Loch Lomond have been named. Edina Olahova, 29, and her son Rana Haris Ali, nine, died alongside their friend Mohammad Asim Raza, 41, on Saturday evening. Mr Raza’s seven-year-old son is currently in intensive care at the Royal Hospital for
Parts of London and the South have flooded after torrential rain and the Met Office has issued an amber storm warning. Areas including Hackney Wick, Newham and Barking were affected by the downpours, with videos showing cars driving through deep water and people walking nearly knee-deep at times. Another video shows Pudding Mill Lane DLR
Large events, such as Premier League games, could be open only to fully-vaccinated people from October under government plans. Talks are under way with the Premier League to discuss whether supporters who have not received both jabs could be barred from entry, according to the PA news agency. The rule could also be used for
An 11-year-old girl who went missing from her home in Bolton has been found in London, a friend of the family has said. Fatuma was discovered in London on Saturday afternoon, after her parents had appealed to her to return home quickly. Earlier on Saturday, her father Asheem told a news conference her behaviour was
A house in Hampshire has been partially destroyed after it was hit by lightning, the fire service has said. The roof of the two-storey property in Andover was blown in after it was struck in a thunderstorm, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIOWFRS) said. Smoke was pictured coming from the semi-detached
The number of new COVID cases in the UK has fallen for the third day in a row, according to government data – but they do not include figures for Wales. The country has recorded 36,389 new cases and 64 more coronavirus-related deaths in the latest 24-hour period. The number of infections is down by
Daily testing of pupils who have been exposed to COVID-19 could be just as effective as isolating groups, according to a study. Research by the University of Oxford found that testing as an alternative to the 10-day isolation policy currently used can reduce COVID-related school absences by 39%. Around 200 secondary schools and colleges in
The Police Federation of England and Wales says it no longer has confidence in Home Secretary Priti Patel and has branded a pay freeze for officers “the final straw”. It has also withdrawn its support and engagement from the Police Remuneration Review Body, labelling the current pay mechanism ‘not fit for purpose’. National Chair John
The government is “very concerned” about the numbers of people being pinged by the NHS app, the business secretary has told Sky News. Speaking to Kay Burley, Kwasi Kwarteng said ministers were “monitoring” the situation and would be setting out a list of exempt critical workers “very soon”. Live COVID updates from the UK and
NHS workers in England will get a pay rise of 3% backdated to April 2021, the government has announced. Those receiving the increase include nurses, paramedics, consultants, dentists and salaried GPs. They are being recognised for their pandemic contribution during an “unprecedented year”, says the Department of Health and Social Care. In a statement, Health
The government’s Nationality and Borders Bill will only bring more “chaos and delay” to the UK’s “dysfunctional” immigration system, Amnesty International has said. The bill passed its second reading in the Commons on Tuesday evening by 366 votes to 265. It would allow the UK to send asylum seekers to a “safe third country” and
The UK has recorded 46,558 new COVID-19 cases and 96 more coronavirus-related deaths in the latest 24-hour period, according to government data. It is the highest number of fatalities since 24 March when 98 were reported. The latest figures compare with 39,950 new cases and 19 deaths announced on Monday, and 36,660 cases and 50
More than 430 migrants sailed across the English Channel to the UK on Monday. The number set a new single-day record, passing the previous daily high of 416 set in September last year, according to data compiled by the PA news agency. Monday’s figure included a group of around 50 men, women, and children who
Clinically vulnerable children and those living with at-risk adults will be offered a COVID-19 vaccine – but most teenagers will not, Nadhim Zahawi has announced. The vaccines minister told MPs that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JVCI) has recommended that children “at an increased risk of serious COVID-19 disease” should be offered the