Analysis: variant provides test of whether relaxation of rules and booster push is effective policySouth Africa to be put on England’s travel red list Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageLast Christmas, as ministers rashly promised five days of festive family gatherings while a new variant gathered pace, Boris Johnson held out until the final hours until he bowed to the...

Flights from six countries will be banned as officials review travel measures after scientists voice concern over variant Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFlights from southern Africa will be banned, with six countries placed under England’s red list travel restrictions, after scientists raised the alarm over what is feared to be the worst Covid-19 variant yet...

UK places South Africa on red travel list over B.1.1.529 variant picked up by scientists in countrySouth Africa to be put on England’s travel red listSee all our coronavirus coverageWhat is the new variant and why is it a concern?Scientists have detected a new Covid-19 variant called B.1.1.529 and are working to understand its potential implications. About 50 confirmed cases have been identified...

Leading figure in the field of electrical engineering whose work played a huge role in modern electronicsThe electrical engineer Eric Ash, who has died aged 93, made major contributions to controlling and manipulating electrical, optical and acoustic waves for signal processing and imaging applications. Already established as a leading figure in this field when he arrived at University College...

Increase in dog and cat ownership in lockdown and Brexit standards issues have led to vet shortagePeople who are considering buying dogs and cats for Christmas are being asked to check if they have access to a vet before they buy due to shortages caused by Brexit and Covid.The British Veterinary Association (BVA) is urging caution after a rise in demand for vets due to the increase in pet...

Technicians were preparing to attach spacecraft to launch vehicle when unplanned event took placeThe launch of the $10bn (£7.5bn) James Webb space telescope has been delayed again, after an incident during the final preparations to place the telescope on top of its launch vehicle.The spacecraft was scheduled to be sent into orbit on 18 December but now it will not launch before 22 December....

Last week the UK government confirmed it would be extending its animal welfare (sentience) bill to include decapods (such as crabs, lobsters and crayfish), and cephalopods (such as octopuses, squid and cuttlefish). The move followed a government-commissioned review of the scientific evidence, which found strong evidence that cephalopods and decapods do have feelings. Madeleine Finlay spoke to Dr...