The number of road rage crimes has risen sharply in the UK, with thousands of offences including attempted murders, assaults and racist abuse incidents reported in the last three years, Sky News has found. More than 3,500 road rage offences were recorded by police forces last year – an increase of more than a third
UK
Travellers who arrive in England from countries with high infection rates will be able to shorten their quarantine from 14 days to five if they test negative for coronavirus on the fifth day, the Department of Transport has said. Passengers will have to pay for the tests themselves, and will need to book with one
England’s second national lockdown will be lifted on 2 December when a revised three-tiered system of restrictions will allow shops, gyms and hairdressers to reopen across the country. The prime minister’s “stay at home” instruction to the country will end a week on Wednesday, following a month of tougher national instructions. Under his 56-page COVID
Contacts of those who are diagnosed with COVID-19 may no longer have to isolate under new plans announced by the government. Currently, a person must isolate for 14 days if they have been a close contact with someone who has tested positive to the virus. But under the new plans, they would instead have the
The UK has reported another 18,662 coronavirus cases and 398 deaths. The daily total includes 141 deaths which were omitted from yesterday’s government figures in error. It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 1,512,045 and the total number of deaths to 55,024. On Saturday, there were 19,875 COVID-19 cases and 341
The chancellor will announce a £500m package to support mental health services following the “major impact” of the coronavirus pandemic. Rishi Sunak will pledge the new funding in his Spending Review on Wednesday, when he will also deliver his long-term plan for infrastructure investment, the Treasury said. The majority of the spending is planned to
A major search operation is under way to find two missing fishermen after their boat sank off the coast of East Sussex. Three men were on board the fishing vessel Joanna C when it sank, with one man rescued after he was found clinging to a lifebuoy by rescuers. HM Coastguard scrambled a search and
The UK’s reproduction number has fallen slightly to a maximum of 1.1 from a maximum of 1.2, according to new figures. The figure has been confirmed by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which advises the government on its response to the pandemic. Scientists have estimated the reproduction number, known as R, is now
The health secretary has told Sky News that he hopes a mass vaccination programme for COVID-19 will get under way “within a matter of weeks”. A coronavirus vaccine has yet to receive official approval, but two US-led treatments have been found to be more than 90% effective. Live COVID-19 updates from the UK and around
More than a quarter of teenage girls have self-harmed by the age of 17, according to an “alarming” new study into teenage mental health. Researchers at University College London Social Research Institute surveyed 10,000 young people in the period 2018 – 2019. Their study found 28% of girls and 20% of boys reported self-harming at
Coronavirus was the third most common cause of death in England and Wales in October – having not been among the 10 leading causes of fatality the month before. The Official for National Statistics has said 3,367 (7.8%) of the 43,265 deaths last month involved COVID-19. The figures show mortality rates for deaths due to
A nationwide police crackdown on knife crime has produced “staggering” results, according to police chiefs, with more than 10,000 bladed weapons taken off the streets. In the capital alone, officers arrested more than 1,000 people as part of Operation Sceptre. In all 43 police forces across England and Wales, police stepped up activities to try
The UK has recorded another 529 coronavirus deaths and 19,609 more cases in the latest 24-hour period. Both figures are a slight dip compared to Tuesday – with the number of new reported fatalities down by 69 and infections by 442. But they bring the total number of deaths to 53,274 and cases to 1,430,341
The tiered system introduced in England in an effort to fight COVID-19 is “inadequate” and “did not contain the spread of the virus”, according to the British Medical Association (BMA). The BMA has also said it was “inconsistent” in the way it was applied, and that it must be “urgently revised” before the country exits
Police forces are to stop issuing COVID-19 “super fines” in England and Wales over concerns the £10,000 fixed penalty can be challenged in court. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) is issuing guidance to chief constables, recommending their officers issue a court summons rather than a straight fixed penalty notice. One of England’s most senior
The Scottish government will announce later today whether parts of the country will be moved into Scotland’s highest tier of COVID-19 restrictions, Level 4. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will address parliament at Holyrood this afternoon following a cabinet decision in the morning. On Monday, Ms Sturgeon said it was “likely” some areas of Scotland will