Crowds get dangerously close to volcanic eruption

As Iceland's Mt. Fagradalsfjall erupted for the first time in a approximately 800 years, crowds of locals and tourists got front row seats to the spectacular natural occurrence.

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  • Princess Anne shares sailing memories on first public appearance since Prince Philip's death

    The Princess Royal reminisced about sailing in her younger years as she made her first in-person appearance at an official event since her father's death. Anne appeared in good spirits as she met with members of the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) on the Isle of Wight on Wednesday – the prestigious club Prince Philip was once admiral of. The Princess, 70, spoke fondly of her "links" and "early memories of sailing" at the west Cowes-based club, and took time to speak to senior members and a group of aspiring young sailors. Asked by club commodore Jamie Sheldon about the vessels she had sailed on, Anne said: "I started really with Bloodhound (a yacht). I then regressed to dinghy sailing for a bit." Anne – the only daughter of the Queen and the Duke – wore sunglasses, a navy blue jacket, black trousers, shoes, gloves and carried a black handbag for the occasion. She smiled as she spoke with some of the younger sailors and asked about their sailing experience. The princess, pictured below, left the RYS on a boat called "Warrior", before arriving at Royal Victoria Yacht Club in Fishbourne around 1.15pm.

  • Swedish region declares 'personal lockdown' as country suffers Europe's highest rate of new covid-19 cases

    One of Sweden's most populous regions has declared a "personal lockdown", as the country reported the highest daily rate of daily coronavirus cases in Europe, and more being treated in intensive care for the virus than at its second wave peak. In posters and an online campaign, the region centred on Uppsala, Sweden's fourth biggest city, called on everyone to "consider all human contacts as a potential risk" and avoid contact with anyone they do not live with, in the closest the country has come to a lockdown since the pandemic began. "We are reaching the point of the maximum capacity of what we can handle," Mikael Köhler, the region's health chief told Sweden's TT newswire. "It seems like the British variant has taken over and there's evidence that people are spreading the disease before they have any symptoms." Sweden on Tuesday had the highest rate of new coronavirus cases in Europe, with a seven-day average of 587 new infections per million people on Monday, more than France on 556 and Poland on 540, according to the latest figures on Our World in Data.

  • Nicola Sturgeon 'should thank Boris Johnson for refusing to sign up to EU vaccine scheme'

    Nicola Sturgeon should thank Boris Johnson for ignoring SNP demands to sign up to the EU's disastrous vaccine programme when she gets her first Covid jab on Thursday, the Scottish Tory leader has said. Douglas Ross said the First Minister would have faced a much longer wait to be vaccinated if Mr Johnson had heeded her party's demands for the UK to join the European scheme last year. The SNP confirmed that Ms Sturgeon, 50, is scheduled to receive her first jab after she launches her party's election manifesto on Thursday morning. A spokesman said: "These remarks from Douglas Ross are utterly pathetic but entirely in keeping with his petulant, puerile tone." A series of Ms Sturgeon's ministers demanded that the UK sign up to the EU's vaccine procurement plan last year and expressed outrage when Mr Johnson refused. Mike Russell, the Constitution Secretary, warned at the time: "This idiotic refusal is all about Brexit and nothing to do with the pandemic. It will cost lives." The decision was publicly opposed by a series of SNP MPs.

  • New Zealand mosque shooter launches legal challenge against prison conditions and ‘terrorist’ status

    Christchurch gunman was sentenced to life without parole last year

  • 'Brideshead' for Roman elite found at Scarborough housing estate

    A Roman “Brideshead” has been unearthed at a planned Scarborough housing estate, and archaeologists believe it may be the first and only one of its kind. The building complex dating from the period of Roman rule, between 43 AD and 410 AD, consists of a circular room with adjoining chambers built to a design “never seen before in Britain”. Archaeologists believe the complex which functioned like a “gentlemen's club” for the wealthy elite could also be the first of its kind to be discovered within the entire former Roman Empire. The site in North Yorkshire was assessed by Historic England after it became clear ruins discovered on the Keepmoat Homes housing development were more significant than first thought. Keith Emerick, inspector of ancient monuments at Historic England, told The Daily Telegraph: “It could be a bit like Brideshead Revisited, like a modern stately home with the equivalent of a chapel attached." The Flyte family own a chapel within their property at Brideshead in Evelyn Waugh's novel. “We’re working to ascertain a potentially religious function of the building," Mr Emerick added.

  • Prince Philip funeral: Duke's respect for Navy fliers to feature in adapted hymn

    The hymn Eternal Father, Strong To Save will feature in the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral on Saturday, with the possible addition of a little-known extra verse at his request. Better known as "For Those in Peril on the Sea" after the last line, the usually four-verse hymn is considered especially poignant by military sailors. Rarely heard outside military circles, however, are two verses written specifically for aviators. They are inserted between the second and third verses. The additional words are understood to feature occasionally at Fleet Air Arm funerals, the aviation branch of the Royal Navy. One such was sung at the funeral of the man who taught the Duke to fly, while he was a Royal Navy officer. Unexpectedly turning up to the funeral many years ago, the Duke further surprised the congregation by singing, along with just a couple of other attendees, the unfamiliar words, which are not included in standard hymn books.

  • Covid-19 rates drop below 100 per 100,000 in all local areas of UK

    The last time the entire country recorded rates below 100 was at the start of September.

  • Bobby Brown blames Nick Gordon for providing drugs in deaths of Bobbi Kristina and Whitney Houston

    Appearing on Red Table Talk, Brown said, ‘[Gordon] was the only one there for both situations with my ex-wife and my daughter and they both died the exact same way’

  • Butcher overturns £20,000 in parking fines after proving yellow lines were in wrong place

    Gareth Sell, 36, won a two-year battle to overturn more than 50 tickets.

  • Rate of people with Covid antibodies ‘levels off’ across most of UK

    ‘Clear pattern’ between Covid vaccinations and antibody positivity across UK, says Office for National Statistics

  • EU backs Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, will not renew AstraZeneca, J&J contracts

    The European Union has announced plans for a massive contract extension for Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine, saying the bloc had chosen to stick with companies that had shown their value during the pandemic. The EU will not renew vaccine contracts with AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson after their expiry, according to reports. “We need to focus on technologies that have proven their worth,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. She also announced that America's Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech would provide the EU with an extra 50 million doses in the 2nd quarter of this year, making up for faltering deliveries of AstraZeneca.Von der Leyen said Pfizer-BioNTech “has proven to be a reliable partner. It has delivered on its commitments, and it is responsive to our needs. This is to the immediate benefit of EU citizens.”In a stinging rebuke to AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, the EU Commission will not renew its Covid vaccine contracts with the Anglo-Swedish and US pharma giants, Italian daily La Stampa reported, citing a source from the Italian health ministry.“The European Commission, in agreement with the leaders of many (EU) countries, has decided that the contracts with the companies that produce (viral vector) vaccines that are valid for the current year will not be renewed at their expiry,” the newspaper reported, adding that Brussels would rather focus on RNA (mRNA) technology used by Pfizer and Moderna.A spokesman for the EU Commission said the block was keeping all options open to be prepared for the next stages of the pandemic. "We cannot, however, comment on contractual issues," he added.Denmark terminates AstraZenecaExacerbating problems for AstraZeneca, Denmark decided Wednesday not to renew its use of the jab – an EU first – after putting it on hold last month following reports of rare blood clots in some recipients. The bulk of the shots given in the Scandinavian country so far have been the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.AstraZeneca was supposed to be the workhorse of the EU's vaccine drive this year – a cheap and easy-to-transport shot to break the pandemic's back. Yet, the EU said that out of 120 million doses promised for the 1st quarter, only 30 million were delivered, and, of the 180 million expected, now there are only 70 million set for delivery in the 2nd quarter. The J&J jab, which uses the same base technology as AstraZeneca, hit a snag this week when US regulators recommended a “pause” in administering the single-dose vaccine. Deliveries in the EU have been suspended. 'Very serious side effects'Commenting on the AstraZeneca and J&J concerns, Member of European Parliament Peter Liese said: "The side effects are very serious and I support the decision of many member states not to vaccinate AstraZeneca to younger people for the time being."I hope that the side effects of Johnson & Johnson will be clarified quickly by the American FDA and that targeted recommendations can then be made for whom this vaccine can and cannot be used."In France, Pfizer currently supplies most of the vaccines. According to the website Covidtracker.fr, which monitors the latest developments regarding the pandemic, 11 million French (of a total 67 million) have received their first vaccine, while 3.8 million have had their second jab.Over two-thirds of the 20 million doses obtained by French health services were supplied by Pfizer/BioNTech, less than a third by AstraZeneca and a small part by Moderna.(with AP, Reuters)

  • Do the Russians want a war? Tanks, guns, and a new military camp on Ukraine’s doorstep

    Oliver Carroll travelled towards the Russian-Ukrainian border to assess claims Moscow is readying itself for a major surge in fighting

  • A gold nose pin, boxes of eggs, or a tax rebate: Covid vaccine incentives around the world

    A gold nose pin, boxes of eggs, or a tax rebate: Covid vaccine incentives around the worldMembers of the public are being offered gifts and discounts to encourage vaccine take-upSee all our coronavirus coverage A man receives a dose of Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine in Dhaka Photograph: Suvra Kanti Das/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock

  • BioNTech/Pfizer brings forward 50 mn doses for EU to Q2 says von der Leyen

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announces the EU will soon receive 50 million doses of the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine, initially expected at the end of this year, as AstraZeneca and Johnson & John face setbacks over blood clot links.

  • Countdown's Rachel Riley announces second pregnancy with cryptic clue

    The 35-year-old TV presenter used a 'Countdown' conundrum to reveal her happy news.

  • Covid crisis leads to ‘sharp rise’ in black youth unemployment

    The UK jobless rate for young black people rose by more than a third to 35 per cent during the pandemic

  • UK asks for more time to respond to EU Brexit legal action - RTE TV

    DUBLIN (Reuters) -Britain has asked for more time to respond to legal action taken by the European Union over its unilateral decision to ease requirements of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Ireland's RTE television reported on Wednesday. The European Union launched legal action against Britain last month for unilaterally changing trading arrangements for Northern Ireland that Brussels says breach the Brexit divorce deal agreed with London last year. Brussels gave London, which has said it has not violated the agreement, a month to respond to the legal action, but the British government has requested an extension of one month, RTE reported.

  • Truck driver jailed for 22 years for killing four police officers in Melbourne crash

    A truck driver who was under the influence of drugs and sleep deprived when he drove into four police officers has been sentenced to 22 years in prison. The traffic officers - three policemen and a policewoman - had pulled over a speeding car when Mohinder Singh ploughed into them. Officers Lynette Taylor, Kevin King, Glen Humphris and Joshua Prestney all died at the scene.

  • Moderna says vaccine targeting Covid South African variant ‘promising’

    Moderna’s early trials of a vaccine targeting the South African Covid variant has produced antibodies in mice, raising hopes of its effectiveness for humans. The company is the first to produce a vaccine designed specifically for the variant and last night said its pre-clinical trials for both jabs “improved neutralising titers”, meaning that antibodies detected in the blood increased. Moderna is also developing a multivalent vaccine that combines its original vaccination with the South Africa-specific jab, which the firm says will provide the broadest level of immunity, The Times reported.

  • Ex-Hollyoaks star Danny Mac "so excited" to welcome first child with Carley Stenson

    "We're just getting on with it the best we can."