Jane Dodge

At least half a dozen NHS trusts across England have declared critical incidents because of Covid-related absences, with one of the country’s biggest acute trusts in Lincolnshire warning that “extreme and unprecedented” staff shortages were compromising patient care.

Boris Johnson has said there’s not enough evidence to justify new Covid restrictions in England before Christmas, although he wouldn’t rule out imposing tougher rules after that to protect public health, again urging people to “exercise caution”.

The killer of toddler Star Hobson will spend a minimum of 25 years in jail, after being handed a life sentence.

Star Hobson was just 16 months old when she died at the hands of a woman who was supposed to look after her. 

After almost two years of constant challenges for the beleaguered hospitality industry, the Omicron variant has dealt another blow to what was meant to be a lucrative Christmas party season.

The energy minister has admitted it’s “completely unacceptable” that 1,200 homes remain without power in the north east of England, 10 days after the damage caused by Storm Arwen. 

A memorial has been unveiled in Barnsley in tribute to all those who have died with Covid, as well as the key workers and volunteers who have been on the frontline during the crisis. 

Tens of thousands of care staff in England are facing the sack tomorrow as the government’s deadline for employees being fully vaccinated arrives.

University students are set to take part in a boycott of nightclubs and are calling for more security at venues amid reports of women being spiked with needles on nights out. 

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a 14-year-old boy in Glasgow.

Much of the attention has focused on the Metropolitan Police where Sarah Everard’s killer worked. But a recent employment tribunal against Police Scotland, the UK’s second biggest force, has been hearing how a firearms unit there had operated like a sexist boys club.

Newcastle United have just been bought in a £300 million takeover by a Saudi-led consortium. The Premier League approved the deal after assurances that the club would not be controlled by the Saudi state. But it has provoked a backlash from human rights campaigners.

New figures show that one in 20 young people at secondary school in England are estimated to have had coronavirus last week.

Care providers have told Channel 4 News that elderly and vulnerable people “will die” due to an unprecedented shortage of staff.

Plans to introduce vaccine passports in England for nightclubs or other crowded events have been scrapped in an apparent U-turn, just days after MPs defended the move.