Britain tightens borders to keep out new COVID-19 variants
Britain is tightening border controls to block new variants of COVID-19, suspending all "travel corridor" arrangements that had meant arrivals from some countries did not require quarantine.
UK
Scottish fishermen land fish in Denmark to avoid post-Brexit red tape
Scottish fishermen have increasingly turned to fish auctions in Denmark in the first two weeks of the year to avoid having their deliveries to the European Union blocked by post-Brexit red tape.
Vaccinations of care home residents to be completed by month-end, says PM
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday the government hoped to complete the vaccination programme for care home residents and workers by the end of month, acknowledging problems with infection rates in such settings.
UK says COVID-19 cases levelling off, but hospital admissions rising
Coronavirus cases in Britain are showing some signs of levelling off but admissions to hospital are expected to keep rising and will not begin to fall for a few weeks, England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said on Friday.
Britain's Prince Harry happy despite royal split heartbreak, says confidant
Britain's Prince Harry is heartbroken over his split with the royal family but he and his wife Meghan are happy in their new lives in the United States, broadcaster and confidant to the couple Tom Bradby said in an interview to be aired on Saturday.
UK Chief Scientific Adviser: COVID mutations may evade vaccine, but we can adapt
Mutations of the novel coronavirus could theoretically get around the current vaccines, but the vaccines themselves can be adapted to new strains, Britain's Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance said on Friday.
Johnson takes stand against 'cruel' Japanese whaling - The Telegraph
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is taking a stand against "cruel" Japanese whaling, The Telegraph newspaper said on Friday, after a minke whale became caught in fishing nets for 19 days before being killed by fishermen this week,
UK top court clears way for COVID-19 business insurance payments
Small businesses, from restaurants to nightclubs and wedding planners to beauty parlours, on Friday won the right to insurance payouts after Britain's highest court ruled many policies should cover losses caused by coronavirus lockdowns.
UK records 55,761 new cases as infection numbers, deaths rise
Britain recorded 55,761 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, an increase on the 48,682 cases recorded the previous day, as the number of infections rises despite hopes that lockdowns across the country could start to help push rates down.
UK economy shrinks but might avoid double-dip recession
Britain's economy shrank in November as it went into a new lockdown, but the decline was smaller than expected as businesses adjusted to social distancing and schools remained open, making a double-dip recession less likely.