UK

The economy remained 11.7% below its coronavirus pandemic peak in July as the UK emerges from its sharpest recession on record, official figures show The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 6.6% in the month as more parts of the economy awakened from the enforced hibernation of the COVID-19

Portugal and Hungary are being added to England’s quarantine list, meaning any travellers arriving from 4am on Saturday will have to isolate for two weeks. The restriction will not apply to travellers returning from Portuguese island Madeira and the Azores. French Polynesia and Reunion have also been added to the list of countries from which

Leaked documents reportedly show the government plans to carry out up to 10 million coronavirus tests a day by early next year, but critics have branded the proposals “waste on a cosmic scale”. The mass testing programme would cost £100bn – almost as much as the government spends on the NHS each year (£130bn) –

Boris Johnson has urged people to limit social contact as much as possible, as he confirmed a ban on gatherings of more than six individuals in England will come into force from Monday. Speaking at a Downing Street news conference, the prime minister admitted the coronavirus rules had become “complicated and confusing”. He said this

Armed police have launched a major operation to tackle gun crime in the capital. Several hundred officers raided a travellers’ site in southeast London and arrested a number of suspects police believe have been involved in supplying firearms to criminal gangs. In the largest police operation of its type in recent years, officers entered the

People in Bolton will not be allowed to socialise with those from other households after coronavirus restrictions were tightened in the town. Restaurants will also be restricted to takeaway only and venues will have to close from 10am to 5am under the measures. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the tighter restrictions in a statement to

Suspected cases of COVID-19 recorded by GPs at the height of the pandemic were three times higher than officially confirmed infections, according to new research. The study suggests that coronavirus was more prevalent among the population than previously thought. Many people who contracted COVID-19, including those with mild symptoms, will not have been tested, lead

The man murdered during a spate of stabbings in Birmingham early on Sunday morning has been named as Jacob Billington. In a statement, his family said: “Jacob was the light of our life and we have been devastated by his loss. “He was a funny, caring and wonderful person who was loved by every single

Ambulance workers in the UK have been subjected to hundreds of violent attacks during the coronavirus pandemic including an increase in sexual assaults, new figures have revealed. A Sky News investigation found more than 1,600 physical assaults against ambulance staff were recorded between January and July as the country battled the COVID-19 crisis – the

Police investigating a series of stabbings in Birmingham – one of them fatal – say they have had a “strong response” after releasing CCTV footage of a suspect. The video shows a man wearing a baseball cap and a dark hoodie with white drawstrings, dark trousers and shoes. West Midlands Police tweeted that detectives are

There have been 2,988 new coronavirus cases reported in the UK in a 24-hour period, official figures show. It is a large rise on yesterday’s figure of 1,813 infections. Today’s number is the highest daily total since 23 May, when there were 2,959 cases. Overall, 347,152 cases have now been confirmed. Two more coronavirus-related deaths

Police have declared a major incident in Birmingham city centre after officers were called to reports of multiple stabbings. West Midlands Police say officers were called to reports of a stabbing in the city centre at 12:30am on Sunday. In a statement, the force said: “We immediately attended, along with colleagues from the ambulance service.

Anti-migrant protesters have clashed with police and blocked a dual carriageway into Dover. Rival groups have assembled in the coastal town in Kent to demonstrate over the arrival of thousands of migrants in small boats. Traffic on the A20 was at a standstill in both directions after protesters assembled on the road in large numbers.

The NHS is urgently appealing for people who have had coronavirus to donate plasma so it can be used as a possible treatment in case of a second wave. Coronavirus survivors will have produced antibodies against the virus and there is some evidence that if plasma containing antibodies is transfused to patients who have COVID-19,

Leeds is now an “area of concern” after a rise in coronavirus cases, one of the city’s MPs Rachel Reeves has said. The “areas of concern” list is published every Friday, revealing how coronavirus is spreading broken down by region. Last week, Bury was one of the places where cases notably rose – up to

More than 400 care home residents were dying every day with COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic, analysis has shown. In just one week in April, there were more than 3,000 coronavirus-related care home deaths in the UK, according to findings by the PA news agency. Deaths rose by 500% between the 1 and