The "vast majority" of over-80s and care home residents should be vaccinated before local areas move on to giving jabs to lower priority groups, a cabinet minister has told Sky News.

There were 17,751 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 8 January - up 7,682 on the preceding week, new figures show.

The snow is falling in thick clumps on Blackpool's promenade and the freezing cloud hangs so low that the top of the famous tower is almost completely obscured.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has revealed he is self-isolating for the next six days after being "pinged" by the NHS coronavirus app.

Storm Christoph's imminent arrival has triggered a major incident in South Yorkshire - ahead of strong winds, widespread flooding and snowfall.

The criminal justice system in England and Wales is facing an "unprecedented and very serious" threat as the backlog in court cases continues to grow during the pandemic.

Snow has fallen in the Sahara desert after temperatures dropped to -3C (27F).

Donald Trump has scrapped a travel ban on people from countries such as the UK and Brazil - but incoming president Joe Biden intends to ignore it.

First Lady Melania Trump has advised Americans that "violence is never the answer" in her White House farewell speech.

The University of Oxford has been given £100m - one of the largest donations in its history - for a new institute focusing on resistance to antibiotics.