Spies with medical qualifications have been switched from fighting terrorism to join the national fight against coronavirus, the head of MI5 revealed today.

Former Home Office Permanent Secretary Sir Philip Rutnam has formally begun legal action against Home Secretary Priti Patel, claiming "constructive dismissal".

The sharp fall in the number of London patients in hospital with coronavirus has been hailed as a "success".

A one-minute silence for the fallen heroes of the NHS was backed by the Government today.

An RAF flight has left to collect a consignment of protective gowns for healthcare workers on the coronavirus frontline.

Donald Trump has suggested criticism levelled at test shortages across the US is part of a "very dangerous political game".

The move, which the US leader announced in a tweet in the early hours of Tuesday, effectively achieves a long-term policy goal of the president to curb immigration, making use of the crisis to do so.

Sales of baking ingredients, frozen vegetables and alcohol are rising amid the coronavirus lockdown, while fewer people are buying beauty products and flowers, new analysis shows.

Scheme by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX firm casts unique chain of lights in Britain's night skies

"Massive fireballs" and "huge explosions" have been seen near Maidstone in Kent as firefighters responded to an explosion on a farm.

Carrie Symonds has signed a petition calling for a worldwide ban on live animal meat markets after coronavirus is thought to have emerged at a "wet market" in Wuhan, China.

They want to 'bring a bit of colour' into people's lives amid the nationwide lockdown with balloon artwork

An Essex man has appeared in court accused of fatally running over a woman after a row about a minor collision.

Boris Johnson has told Donald Trump that he is "feeling better and on the road to recovery" at his Chequers country retreat after contracting coronavirus.

England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer has defended the Government's response to the coronavirus outbreak and its distribution of vital protective equipment to frontline workers.

The US state of Missouri is suing the Chinese government over its handling of the coronavirus as Beijing calls for solidarity and less "finger pointing" during the pandemic.

A seven-year-old boy accidentally killed his three-year-old sister after shooting her with an unsecured shotgun in Colorado, police said.

Neighbours who fear that domestic abuse is being inflicted in a home nearby were today urged to call the police as the Met warned that the coronavirus lockdown could be making it harder for some victims to seek help.

Police are hunting for a man after a girl was sexually assaulted on a bus in east London.

Greta Thunberg has released a video showing a family calmly getting ready for the day while their house burns down around them as a symbol of the threat of climate change.

Fears that Transport for London may have to axe services because of a cash crisis were downplayed today.

A 17-year-old has been charged with 16 sexual offences after allegations of abuse at a nursery.

Some NHS medics are being re-tested for Covid-19 after being wrongly cleared of carrying the virus.

Former Olympic rower Kenny Dwan has recalled the emotional moment he left hospital after a three-week battle with coronavirus.

Follow our live updates below...

The head of the World Health Organisation has brushed off calls for his resignation as he told the US to reconsider freezing its funding.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's baby son Archie joined in with a video call to his great-grandmother the Queen on her 94th birthday.

Conservationist Dr Jane Goodall has warned of future pandemics if lessons are not learned from the coronavirus crisis.

The Mayor of Las Vegas has been slammed for an "outrageous" plan to reopen the city's casinos as a "control group" for coronavirus.

From the frontline

Record falls in output accompanied by unprecedented jobs threat

All essential workers are to be able to get coronavirus tests if they need them due to increased screening capacity, health secretary Matt Hancock announced today.

The adoption of "test, track and trace" could enable the coronavirus lockdown measures to be eased, Matt Hancock has said.

Small businesses struggling under coronavirus pressures have been handed nearly £1.5 billion in government-backed loans in just a week - more than double the loans provided since the scheme began in March.

A pregnant doctor and her husband are bringing a legal challenge against the Government which questions the lawfulness of current guidance and a failure to source PPE.

London's air quality has "dramatically improved" due to the drop in traffic amid the coronavirus lockdown, Sadiq Khan has said.

Donald Trump has said Boris Johnson "sounded incredible" when the two leaders spoke on the phone earlier this week while the Prime Minister continues his recovery from coronavirus.

Some of Britain's most famous faces united to entertain the nation as part of BBC One's Big Night In , which raised more than £27 million to help support vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Duchess of Cornwall says she is missing seeing and hugging her grandchildren during the coronavirus lockdown.

Brits could be allowed to meet up with small "bubbles" of up to 10 of their closest family or friends in an effort to wind down the coronavirus lockdown.

Detectives are hunting for an Asian-inspired Gucci messenger bag in connection with the fatal stabbing in south London.

Comedian Jack Whitehall has endorsed the Evening Standard's Food for London Now campaign and launched a competition to encourage his followers to donate.

Lockdown is going well. I made a BLT the other day where I decided to deep fry the tomato in cornmeal and cooked the bacon in maple syrup.

A woman in her 40s was allegedly gang-raped after police quarantined her in a school overnight in India.

Tenants made their neighbours' lives a misery through their 'excessive noise and anti-social behaviour'

Hundreds of neighbours came together to perform a socially distanced dance to Whigfield's iconic hit Saturday Night in an effort to spread cheer during the coronavirus lockdown.

NHS services including cancer care and mental health support which were paused due to the coronavirus outbreak will be restored from Tuesday, Matt Hancock has announced.

Loans to be available from next week as Government ramps up efforts to save small businesses from collapsing under financial fallout of Covid-19 crisis