Parked ambulances queue outside Royal London Hospital

Millions of people across England are ending the year under the toughest coronavirus restrictions, as the virus continues to spread and hospitals struggle with high numbers of Covid-19 patients.

Latest stories

  • Republican split widens as Donald Trump intervenes in party elections in Arizona

    The acrimonious split within Republican ranks widened over the weekend as Donald Trump made his foray back into politics, backing the re-election of a hard-line supporter as chair of the party in Arizona. His wholehearted support for Kelli Ward was seen by allies as the former president firing a warning shot across the bows of any Republican senators considering backing his impeachment.

  • Exclusive: NHS vaccinators offering Covid jabs to their friends and family under 70

    NHS vaccine centres are offering Covid jabs to friends and family aged under 70 in breach of national policy, The Telegraph can disclose. Senior NHS sources threatened to take disciplinary action against hospitals and GPs across the country offering leftover jabs to relatives and friends of staff despite being outside the top four priority cohorts. Health bosses have insisted that drawing up a ‘friends and family list’ helps avoid waste by ensuring that they never throw away any Pfizer vaccine, which comes in boxes of 975 doses and can only be stored for five days once thawed. However, ministers are understood to be determined that younger people with a connection to NHS staff should not be allowed to “jump the queue” over the vulnerable and elderly. A Whitehall source said vaccine centres must do more to create "a back up list" of patients and staff within the top four cohorts who can receive jabs at short notice. It came as the Government announced a new record-high number of 491,970 first doses administered in just 24 hours, taking the total number who have received a first dose to 6.35 million. The Government will also announce that it will pay community vaccine champions to help persuade their peers in minority ethnic groups to take up the offer of a jab. Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, will also write to BAME (black and minority ethnic) MPs expressing his concern about low take-up of the vaccine among certain groups and encourage them to promote the community champions scheme.

  • Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 'besotted' with new puppy that has helped them get over death of Lupo

    When their beloved cocker spaniel, Lupo, died last month, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were heartbroken. But their grief was tempered by the arrival of a new puppy, with whom the whole family is said to be “besotted.” The new cocker spaniel, whose name has not yet been revealed, was given to the family by the Duchess’s brother, James Middleton, before Lupo died. And ensuring it remains a family affair, the puppy is Lupo’s niece. Mr Middleton, 33, bred his first litter of puppies from his dog Ella in 2011. He kept one, called Luna, but gave her brother Lupo to the Duchess in early 2012 after the Duke deployed for six weeks to the Falkland Islands while serving as an RAF search and rescue pilot. Last summer, Mr Middleton, who at the time was staying with his parents at their Berkshire home, bred another litter of six puppies with Luna as their mother. The Cambridges, along with their children Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two, are said to have had the pick of the litter.

  • Rioters set fire to Dutch coronavirus testing centre as new curfew comes into effect

    Riot police called in to help in Urk while thousands fined on first night of new curbs

  • Sturgeon refuses to say if she would quit if it is found she lied over Salmond

    Nicola Sturgeon has refused to confirm that she would quit as First Minister if it is found that she deliberately lied to Holyrood over the Alex Salmond affair, as she accused her predecessor of spreading “false conspiracy theories” about her. The First Minister insisted she had not misled the Scottish Parliament about her handling of sexual harassment complaints against Mr Salmond, as two inquiries examining her conduct, which her opponents believe could see her forced from office, gather pace. In a submission to an investigation into whether Ms Sturgeon broke the ministerial code, Mr Salmond said statements which Ms Sturgeon made to Holyrood about when she first became aware of complaints against him were “simply untrue”.

  • Biden news: Experts find major ‘gaps’ in Trump pardons as White House scrambles to rollout vaccine plan

    Latest developments from Washington DC and beyond

  • UAE cabinet approves establishment of embassy in Tel Aviv in further sting to Palestinians

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the establishment of its embassy in Tel Aviv as the US national security advisor announced that America hopes to build “on the success of Israel’s normalisation agreements” under the Biden administration. The UAE cabinet decision to approve establishing the embassy comes after they signed the Abraham Accords in September, becoming the first Gulf state to establish a full diplomatic relationship with Israel. No further details about the embassy were given in UAE media. While Israel’s government recognises Jerusalem as its capital, the international community does not, with Palestinians claiming East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Most countries base their embassies in Tel Aviv. Before the deal, Israel only had peace deals with only two Arab countries, Egypt and Jordan - where it has fortified embassies. Most Arab countries had previously refrained from recognising Israel, believing that recognition should only be granted if serious concessions are made in the Palestinian peace process. Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco later agreed to follow in the UAE’s footsteps and normalise ties with Israel under US-brokered deals.

  • Jaguar driver underestimates deep water

    An unfortunate motorist had an embarrassing fail moment as he attempted to charge through a ford in his Jaguar F-Pace. Despite appearances, the large SUV was outmatched by the deep water.

  • Tougher travel restrictions on the way, Matt Hancock warns

    ‘The new variant I really worry about is the one that’s out there but hasn’t been spotted’

  • Neighbours heartbreak for Dipi Rebecchi as Shane and Amy grow closer

    The marriage may be over for good.

  • Vaccinated people could still spread virus, warns Van-Tam

    The number receiving the first dose of the vaccine across the UK has passed 5.8 million.

  • Rudy Giuliani ‘admits his associate sought to bill Trump campaign $20,000 per day to overturn election result’

    Former NYC mayor laments being ‘portrayed as some kind of money-grubbing ambulance chaser’

  • Tory MPs warn Boris Johnson - schools must fully reopen by Easter

    Schoolchildren have become the pandemic’s “forgotten victims”, Tory MPs have warned Boris Johnson, amid a growing backlash against plans that could keep classrooms closed until Easter. A dozen Conservative MPs, including the former Cabinet minister Esther McVey and Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, have backed a campaign by the parents’ pressure group UsforThem to fully reopen schools. They argue that the schools shutdown means education has become an “optional extra”, with the gulf between the most disadvantaged children and their wealthier peers growing “by the day”. At the same time, the pressure on parents who are trying to hold down full-time jobs while also acting as teachers “is simply becoming too much”, they say, meaning schools should reopen now. Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, is expected to announce as soon as this week that schools will remain shut to all but the most vulnerable and children of key workers beyond the February half-term break. On Sunday Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said the full reopening of schools before the Easter holiday was merely a “hope” rather than an expectation.

  • Covid news: Tories revolt over potential post-Easter schools return

    Follow for the latest developments

  • New Zealand suffers first coronavirus case in the community for more than two months

    Jacinda Ardern’s health officials desperately trying to find anyone exposed to the woman at about 30 locations since she was released from Government-run quarantine system last year

  • Dustin Poirier stuns Conor McGregor with emphatic UFC 257 stoppage win

    ‘The Diamond’ gained revenge for his brutal defeat by the same opponent in 2014, producing a barrage of heavy punches to force a surprise stoppage in round two of the eagerly-anticipated rematch on the UFC’s Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. With nearly 2,000 socially-distanced fans watching on at the brand new Etihad Arena, Poirier wore down McGregor with some painful calf kicks and absorbed everything the powerful Irishman had to throw at him before unleashing a volley of thundering strikes. McGregor was initially disorientated by a stunning right hook from his lightweight rival, who did not let up as he forced ‘The Notorious’ - fighting for the first time since destroying veteran Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone inside 40 seconds 12 months ago - to the mat and the referee rightly intervened with just over two-and-a-half minutes on the clock in round two.

  • Many in Trump White House believed coronavirus was ‘hoax’, Deborah Birx says

    Covid task force coordinator ‘always’ felt like quitting, she reveals

  • Nicola Sturgeon taunts Boris Johnson as row blows up over SNP ‘roadmap’ to new Scottish independence vote

    A new poll says 49 per cent of people in Scotland back independence compared with 44 per cent against

  • Matt Hancock says 'we're a long, long, long way' from lockdown measures easing

    The health secretary warned the NHS is still under pressure from high COVID infection rates.

  • Global report: France warned of third lockdown, as Dutch protests turn violent

    Global report: France warned of third lockdown, as Dutch protests turn violent. Italy threatens legal action against Pfizer over vaccine supply; Israel to close all airports to most flights