UK

As schools reopen and government advice changes, what exactly are the rules on face coverings in the UK’s schools? What is the situation in Scotland? Face coverings should be worn by staff and pupils when moving around secondary schools from 31 August. Scotland’s education secretary John Swinney said the rule will apply on school transport

Boris Johnson has abandoned advice that pupils should not wear face masks in English secondary schools. The prime minister performed his latest U-turn in the face of growing pressure from headteachers, teaching unions and medical experts. Face coverings will be mandatory for children in all schools that lie in areas subject to stricter coronavirus restrictions.

Secondary school pupils in Scotland will have to wear face coverings when moving through corridors and other communal areas from next week. Scotland’s Education Secretary John Swinney announced the move on Tuesday after consulting with teachers and councils on the new guidance. “From 31 August young people over the age of 12 in secondary schools

Switzerland could become the next country to join the UK’s quarantine list following a spike in coronavirus cases. The country’s health minister Alain Berset said “the situation is under control, but remains fragile” after more than 300 new cases were recently reported in a 24-hour period – the highest increase since mid-April. Figures from the

The risks of catching flu or being involved in a road accident are “higher” than contracting coronavirus for schoolchildren, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said. Dr Jenny Harries told Sky News she understands why parents are wary, but said a well-controlled school environment “should be a safe one” considering the information now available about

The prime minister has said pupils’ “life chances” will suffer if they do not return to their classrooms for the start of the new academic year. The statement by Boris Johnson is part of a government effort to convince concerned parents it is right to send their children back when schools reopen around the country.

The wife of the driver killed in the Stonehaven train derailment has hit out at suggestions he was to blame for the incident and said he “did everything by the book”. Driver Brett McCullough, 45, died along with conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, in the 12 August crash in Aberdeenshire. Six

Anyone organising illegal raves or gatherings of more than 30 people could face a £10,000 fine as tougher rules come into place in England next Friday. Police have been dealing with a surge in unlicensed music events in recent weeks and the government plans to crack down on illegal gatherings ahead of the August bank

Holidaymakers are scrambling to get home before Saturday’s early-morning quarantine deadline, while web searches for flights to Portugal have soared after the country was put back on the UK’s safe list. Travellers hoping to return to the UK from Croatia, Austria and Trinidad & Tobago before the 4am quarantine deadline are – in some cases

The R number in the UK has risen to between 0.9 and 1.1, the government’s scientific advisory group (SAGE) says. The R number is a measure of how many people on average each infected person transmits the virus to. It is an increase on an estimated range of 0.8-1.0 last week, compared with 0.8-0.9 a

Unpaid household bills built up during lockdown will lead to a spiral of debt for many unless financial support is provided, according to Citizens Advice. One in nine people have reported being unable to keep up with household bills – the equivalent of six million individuals across the UK, according to research by the charity.

Northern Ireland is tightening its coronavirus lockdown restrictions by reducing the number of people allowed to meet, as it fights a rise in COVID-19 cases. In a news conference at Stormont, health minister Robin Swann said groups who meet outdoors would now be limited to 15 – down from 30. Groups meeting indoors will be

Nearly three-quarters of coronavirus patients admitted to hospital suffer ongoing symptoms three months later, new research suggests. A total of 81 patients out of 110 discharged from Southmead Hospital in Bristol were still experiencing symptoms from the virus, including breathlessness, excessive fatigue and muscle aches, after 12 weeks. Many were struggling to carry out daily

Students expecting their BTEC results in the morning will be left disappointed after a last-minute decision to delay their release. With less than 24 hours to go until results day, exam board Pearson has asked schools and colleges not to publish level one and two results for vocational courses. The board wants more time to

The UK’s major city centres are still significantly less busy and Britons are, for the most part, continuing to shun public transport, data shows. Despite a government drive to get people back in shops, restaurants, bars and workplaces, some parts of the country are recovering far more slowly than others from the coronavirus lockdown. Coastal

A police officer has been removed from frontline duties after a video showed a man being told “chill out or I’ll choke you out” during an arrest. West Yorkshire Police said the matter has been referred to the police watchdog after footage emerged of the incident in Halifax. The 45-second clip shows two male uniformed