Official estimates show Covid infections continued to rise in all four UK nations; Fears wave of Covid infections could threaten Swiss economy‘VIP lane’ to award PPE contracts in UK unlawful, high court rulesCovid boosters not viable strategy against n…
Boris Johnson says he did attend No 10 lockdown party, and apologises, but thought it was work event – live
Prime minister says he thought party was a ‘work event’ but concedes he should have stopped the gathering on 20 May 2020Boris Johnson admits attending Downing Street party during lockdownNo 10 lockdown garden party: Boris Johnson’s apology in fullResig…
Pret a Manger to increase pay for second time in four months
Coffee shop chain investing more than £9.2m to raise hourly rate amid sector-wide labour shortagePret a Manger is increasing pay for the second time in four months as labour shortages force up wages across the hospitality and retail industries.The coff…
Flowers, floods and a frozen lake: Wednesday’s best photos
The Guardian’s picture editors select photo highlights from around the world Continue reading…
Prince Andrew rejected in effort to get US sexual abuse case dismissed
Virginia Giuffre’s civil claim against duke can move forward, federal judge rules in New YorkThis article contains descriptions of sexual abuseLongtime Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit against him can move forward, as a New…
Aras Amiri: Iran frees British Council employee accused of spying
Amiri, 34, back in UK after Iran’s supreme court overturned 2019 conviction and 10-year prison sentence An Iranian woman who worked for the British Council has been freed from detention in Evin prison and returned to the UK after being acquitted of spy…
Gordon Brown calls on Liz Truss to help raise funds for Afghanistan
Former prime minister says country is at risk of famine and UK must take lead in resuming delivery of aid• The people of Afghanistan are starving; to turn our backs on them is morally wrongGordon Brown has written to the foreign secretary, Liz Truss, c…
Savills buoyed by surge in sales of £1m-plus homes in countryside
London-based estate agent raises profit forecasts amid Covid ‘race for space’ and warehouse boomCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA rush to buy £1m-plus homes in the countryside in the Covid-inspired “race for space” and the w…
TV explorer Simon Reeve fears documentaries make him a climate ‘hypocrite’
Globetrotting presenter hopes ‘value’ of programmes offsets their carbon footprintExplorer and television presenter Simon Reeve is troubled by the carbon footprint of the travel documentaries he makes and sometimes feels a hypocrite, he has confessed.T…
Duchess of Cambridge’s 40th birthday marked with trio of new photos
Portraits by fashion photographer Paolo Roversi show Kate wearing Alexander McQueen dressesThe Duchess of Cambridge has marked her 40th birthday by releasing three glamorous portraits of herself.Pictured in different Alexander McQueen dresses, Kate pos…