Central London saw the biggest drop in footfall of anywhere in the country as concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant kept shoppers at home.

A man has been arrested after 100 iPads - bought as presents - were stolen from a children's hospital.

Joe Root insists the whole England team is pulling in the same direction ahead of the Boxing Day Ashes Test, stressing that his captaincy is no "dictatorship".

LadBaby have made recording history by securing the Christmas number one for a fourth consecutive year, becoming the first act to do so in the 70 years of the official Christmas chart.

An octogenarian who until recently hadn't swum in 60 years is attempting to swim at every pier and beach around the Irish coast this festive period.

Alec Baldwin has shared a Christmas message thanking his supporters for their well wishes but says Halyna Hutchins's death is "never going to be behind us".

Scientists in Thailand are developing a plant-based vaccine to fight the Omicron variant.

The UK has recorded 122,186 new cases of coronavirus and a further 137 deaths, the latest daily figures show.

The Queen will deliver a particularly personal Christmas Day message this year, surrounded by reminders of her late husband, decorations made by school children and the sound of a choir.

New photos have been released showing the UK armed forces at work across the globe, from cold weather training in the Arctic to counter-terrorism operations over the mountains of Mali and the evacuation of Afghanistan.