New Covid variant is highly transmissible and remains serious cause for concern over festive period

Desmond Tutu, who helped end apartheid in South Africa has died aged 90.

No date yet for ministers to consider harsher measures ahead of New Year

All the best weather images from the past 12 months.

The first black Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town helped bring down apartheid in South Africa.

The support scheme has seen the rate of unemployment in the pandemic so far peak at a lower-than-feared 5.2%.

The Liberal Democrats said their analysis showed households would be far worse off.

PM hopefuls urged to speak out against new coronavirus restrictions

Large increase in young people finally getting first jab, latest figures for England show

Daisy Cooper says tactical voting will be crucial at next general election

The new law is expected to take the form of an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill early next year.

Further restrictions in England are not expected to be discussed before Monday.

The former health secretary argues doing so will help reduce the £6 billion annual bill for locums and improve patient care.

One of the Met Office’s yellow warnings was expanded to include an area from the Scottish Borders to Derbyshire.

Some restrictions come into force on Sunday, while more will be imposed from Monday.

Groups of no more than six people will be allowed to meet in pubs, cinemas and restaurants in Wales from Boxing Day.

Six-year-old Hugo was rushed to the PDSA pet hospital in Devon after demolishing the treat, which can be lethal to dogs.

The front pages on Boxing Day cover pandemic developments and an unwanted visitor at Windsor Castle.

42 per cent of people who voted Leave in 2016 had a negative view of how Brexit had turned out so far

It’s been a busy year for new tech.

The poll suggests the Tory party’s popularity has taken a hit since the claims of lockdown-busting parties emerged

The white Christmas continues as Boxing Day is forecast to see snow fall across parts of Scotland.

The Queen is currently celebrating Christmas at Windsor Castle, along with Prince Charles and Camilla

The Queen is spending Christmas at her Berkshire residence.

Sara Trost was from Southend, Essex, and was the mother of a toddler, according to reports.

‘We can confirm it is a white Christmas,” says Met Office

The James Webb Telescope successfully launched into space on December 25, but what actually is it?

‘People can make good judgements themselves’, says Cardinal Vincent Nichols

A total of three boats were stopped by UK authorities early on Christmas morning

The festive special featured tinsel, dancing hologram penguins and a cheery Father Christmas.

Exclusive: Warnings thousands of eligible Afghans still trapped as ex-interpreters say they ‘will be killed’

Chancellor Rishi Sunak most favoured replacement with public, survey reveals

‘He dotted every ‘i’ and he crossed every ‘t’ – I promise he did’

Monarch also praises Prince Charles and Prince William for focus on climate change

Advisers offer gloomy new assessment ahead of Boris Johnson’s decision on restrictions early next week

Singer-songwriter Tom Walker described the Duchess of Cambridge as an ‘amazing musician’

The monarch empathised with those grieving for loved ones in her traditional Christmas Day message, saying: ‘This year especially I understand why.’

The James Webb Space Telescope blasted off from Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.

NHS England has thanked those who are working or volunteering on Christmas Day.

Justin Welby will praise people helping refugees during Christmas sermon

The People’s Kitchen and the Simon Community were among organisations organising festive meals for those who needed them.

The Met Office confirmed some snow on Christmas morning in Aberdeenshire and Perthshire.

The Most Rev Justin Welby said ‘there is no doubting’ the human capacity to show ‘great kindness’.

Some 13,765 new cases of the virus were notified on Christmas Day, up from 11,182 on Friday.

The couple were joined at the chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle by the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The water temperature around the coast of Bangor, Co Down, was estimated to have been around seven degrees for the festive frolics.

Her speech marks the end of a year peppered with both joy and immense sadness

Across various coasts around the UK, swimmers have braved the cold to take part in a Christmas Day Dip in aid of charity.

Supplies of Haribo, milk, pasta, fresh vegetables, Irn-Bru, Weetabix and even Wetherspoon’s beer ran low

Swimmers from across the country, including Edinburgh, took to the water.

Paramedics were called to a house last year after reports of an unresponsive infant

Kate hosted Royal Carols: Together At Christmas where Tom Walker performed.

The couple have changed their Christmas plans this year following the Queen’s decision to stay at Windsor.