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The UK has recorded another 28,612 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period.

A further 103 people have died within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, daily government figures show – taking the total figure to 130,281 since the start of the pandemic.

On Friday, 31,808 new infections and 92 deaths were recorded – which saw the UK top six million coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.

This time last week, on 31 July, 26,144 cases and 71 deaths were reported.

The latest figures come a day after England’s R number fell to between 0.8 and 1.1, suggesting the pandemic could be shrinking.

Last week, it was estimated between 1.1 and 1.4.

This latest R value, or reproduction number, means on average every 10 people infected with the virus will go on to infect between eight and 11 others.

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Data published from Public Health England has found that a third of patients currently in hospital have already received two doses of the vaccine.

To encourage more people to get vaccinated, a new government campaign is urging young people to get their jabs or risk missing out “on the good times”.

Meanwhile, SAGE government adviser Professor John Edmunds said further lockdowns may not be required despite a potential autumn wave of COVID-19 cases due to restrictions easing.

Professor Edmunds told Times Radio he was “cautiously optimistic” that another lockdown would not be needed to bring cases under control again.

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But he added there is a need to be “very cautious” about the situation at the moment as previous peaks had been countered by locking down.

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North Yorkshire: Man’s body recovered from area of flooding in Beal

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North Yorkshire: Man's body recovered from area of flooding in Beal

A man’s body has been recovered from an area of flooding in North Yorkshire, police have said, as major incidents have been declared in two counties.

The body was found near Intake Lane in Beal, close to Eggborough and Knottingley.

Police believe the man may have entered the water in the last 24 to 48 hours.

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North Yorkshire Police said: “Despite extensive enquiries, including with our colleagues in Humberside and West Yorkshire Police, we have been unable to identify him.

“He was found without any identification or personal belongings.”

The man was also described as white, in his early 50s to 60s, with light brown short hair and stubble.

He was wearing brown walking boots, blue denim jeans, a multicoloured knitted jumper and possibly a dark green waterproof coat, police added.

It comes after Leicestershire and Lincolnshire both declared a major incident in response to the extreme weather hitting the UK and Ireland.

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Leicestershire Fire and Rescue was the first emergency service in England to declare an incident and said it had received more than 200 calls since Monday morning over widespread flooding.

Crews had found cars stuck in floodwater and evacuated residents from flooded homes and rising waters, with some 17 people rescued as of 1.45pm.

The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum declared a major incident shortly after, and noted that emergency services had rescued children who were stranded at a school in Edenham.

Meanwhile, the Met Office has three yellow weather warnings – each for snow and ice – in effect throughout Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

Met Office yellow weather warnings for snow and ice on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 of January. Pic: Met Office
Image:
Pic: Met Office

A warning covering the west and north coast of Scotland – reaching into Inverness and Aberdeen – will last until midday, while an alert in effect for all of Northern Ireland will last until 11am.

The Met Office has also issued a warning covering Wales and parts of northwest England on Monday evening, moving into southwest England, the Midlands and parts of southern England in the early hours of Tuesday.

On Wednesday, a yellow weather warning for snow is in effect across the south of England – stretching from just above Truro in Cornwall to Canterbury in Kent – from 9am to midnight.

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Man charged following reports of threats towards Jess Phillips, Sky News understands

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Man charged following reports of threats towards Jess Phillips, Sky News understands

A man has been charged following reports of threats towards Labour safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, Sky News understands.

Jack Bennett, 39, has been charged with three counts of malicious communications, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

The messages were sent between April 2024 and January 2025 involving three victims, including the Birmingham Yardley MP.

It is understood the accused, from Seaton, east Devon, was charged over the weekend.

He has been bailed to appear before Exeter Magistrates’ Court on 18 February 2025.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke about a “line being crossed” regarding comments towards Ms Phillips and said that she had been receiving threats.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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HMP Wandsworth prison officer filmed having sex with inmate sentenced to 15 months

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HMP Wandsworth prison officer filmed having sex with inmate sentenced to 15 months

A prison officer who was filmed having sex with an inmate has been sentenced to 15 months in jail.

Linda De Sousa Abreu, 31, was on duty at HMP Wandsworth in London when she entered the prisoner’s cell and had sex with him on 27 June.

The encounter was filmed by another inmate and lasted for almost five minutes.

She was identified by HMP Wandsworth staff and arrested by the Metropolitan Police at Heathrow Airport after the footage went viral on social media.

The prison officer was planning to fly to Madrid and telephoned the prison as she fled to the airport to say that she was not returning to work.

De Sousa Abreu then pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office on 29 July last year.

The charge said the 31-year-old “wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder by engaging in a sexual act with a prisoner in a prison cell”.

Tetteh Turkson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, added last year that the incident was “a shocking breach of the public’s trust,” and that De Sousa Abreu “was clearly an enthusiastic participant who wrongly thought she would avoid responsibility”.

“The CPS recognises there is no excuse for any prison officer who conducts themselves in such a manner, and we will never hesitate to prosecute those who abuse their position of power,” she added.

“After working closely with the Metropolitan Police to build the strongest possible case, De Sousa had no option but accept she was guilty. She will now rightly face the consequences of her actions.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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