UK

The UK could see record-breaking temperatures on Friday – with forecasters warning it could be the hottest day of the year so far. Temperatures are set to rise above 37C (98.6F) in London and the South East today, with the stifling heat expected to continue through Saturday and Sunday. It could be even hotter than

50 million face masks bought by the UK government will not be used in the NHS due to safety concerns. The personal protective equipment (PPE) ordered from Ayanda Capital have ear loops rather than head loops, and there are concerns over whether they are adequate. The Good Law Project and EveryDoctor, which are suing the

Former coronavirus hospital patients are being urged to donate plasma as part of a major trial. Research is being carried out to assess whether convalescent plasma donations can be transfused into patients who are struggling to develop their own immune response. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), which is collecting the plasma for the trial, said

An official heatwave could hit the UK on Thursday, with some parts basking in temperatures hotter than top holiday destinations in the Caribbean. Temperatures are expected to soar to 37C (98.6F) by the end of the week, caused by hot air moving in from southern Europe. It means parts of the country will be basking

The Attorney General has been asked to consider whether jail terms given to the three teenagers who killed PC Andrew Harper are unduly lenient. Henry Long, 19, the driver of the car that dragged the 28-year-old officer to his death, was jailed for 16 years for manslaughter at the Old Bailey on Friday. The other

Children should be put “at the heart” of future lockdown plans and schools prioritised over pubs and shops, the children’s commissioner for England has said. As schools in England and Wales prepare to reopen next month, Anne Longfield warned youngsters were too often “an afterthought” during the first – and current – coronavirus lockdown. But

Reopening schools fully in September without an effective test, trace and isolating strategy could result in a second wave of coronavirus more than twice the size of the first, according to a new modelling study. Researchers from UCL and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) examined the possible implications of schools reopening

A “hero” father-of-seven has died after rescuing his children when they got into difficulty in the sea. Jonathan Stevens, 36, died in the incident in Barmouth, northwest Wales on Sunday afternoon, with his partner Laura Burford saying: “I owe this man everything bringing our babies back.” The plasterer was reportedly caught in a rip tide

New rapid coronavirus tests that can detect the virus in just 90 minutes will start to be used in care homes and labs from next week. The two new types of test do not require trained health staff to operate them and can also pick up other winter viruses. Image: The Nudgebox can diagnose COVID-19

New homes, hospitals, schools, shops and offices will get “automatic” permission to be built, under a radical shake-up of planning laws. After Boris Johnson promised to “build, build, build” in order to create more affordable homes, the government is unveiling what is billed as the biggest change to the planning system since it was created

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has said it is a “national priority” to get children back into the classroom, as scientists have warned there may have to be trade-offs for schools to reopen. On Saturday afternoon the government said a total of 46,193 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community in

Millions of over 50s could be told to stay at home under a “nuclear” option to prevent a new nationwide lockdown if there is a second wave of coronavirus. Boris Johnson is reportedly considering asking a greater number of people in England to take part in the shielding programme should there be a big spike

Chernobyl has won two top prizes at this year’s virtual BAFTA TV ceremony following huge success at the organisation’s craft awards earlier this month. Telling the story of the nuclear disaster at the Ukraine plant on 26 April 1986, the five-part Sky original series took home the gongs for best mini-series and leading actor, for

The planned easing of lockdown restrictions in England has been postponed for at least a fortnight – with face masks to become mandatory by law in most public indoor settings on 8 August. Boris Johnson told a Downing Street briefing that the decision to “squeeze that brake pedal” on changes had been taken due to

Separate households are banned from meeting indoors from today in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire after a rise in coronavirus cases. The news comes after the UK saw its highest daily total of COVID-19 cases for more than a month. Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the virus was “bubbling up” in

England suffered the highest levels of excess deaths of any country in Europe over the first half of 2020, the Office for National Statistics has said. But while England endured the largest overall increase in deaths, the report says Spain had the highest peak. Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacted to the news by saying there