London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Mar 07, 2026

Covid-19: India to be added to travel 'red list' and AJ Tracey gig organisers fined

Covid-19: India to be added to travel 'red list' and AJ Tracey gig organisers fined

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Monday evening. We'll have another update for you tomorrow morning.
1. India to be added to travel 'red list'


India is to be added to the "red list" of countries from which most travel to the UK is banned, over concerns about a new Covid variant circulating there. From 04:00 BST on Friday, British or Irish passport holders who have been in India in the previous 10 days will have to quarantine in a government-approved hotel, while all other arrivals will be refused entry. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there had been 103 cases of the variant first found in India detected in the UK, and health officials are investigating whether it spreads more easily or is resistant to vaccines. It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled a trip to India, due to take place next Monday, amid rising cases in the country.


2. More than 10m fully vaccinated in UK


More than 10 million people in the UK have received their second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to the latest government figures. It means more than 19% of UK adults are now fully vaccinated, while nearly 33 million people have had a first dose. Hailing the "terrific milestone", Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged those eligible to get the jab "as soon as possible". Meanwhile, the UK recorded four deaths within 28 days of a positive test - the lowest daily figure since 7 September, although the number of deaths recorded on Mondays and over the weekend tend to be lower because of reporting delays.


3. Study to reinfect young people with Covid


Healthy young people who have had Covid-19 are being asked to volunteer for a trial that will deliberately expose them to the virus. The experts behind the study, beginning this month, want to see how the immune system copes second time round. The ultimate aim is to design better treatments and vaccines. Up to 64 people aged 18-30 will spend 17 days in a quarantine unit at a hospital suite and have numerous tests, including lung scans.


4. HSBC bosses to hot-desk in post-pandemic shake-up


Banking giant HSBC has confirmed that top managers in its Canary Wharf headquarters have lost their offices and will have to hot-desk on an open-plan floor. The move comes as HSBC pursues plans to shrink its office space by 40% in a post-pandemic shake-up. The company's chief executive said the bank would move to a "hybrid working model", allowing most staff to work part-time from home on a permanent basis.


5. Organisers fined £10k for AJ Tracey gig


Organisers of an AJ Tracey gig, cancelled shortly before it was due to take place in Manchester, have been fined £10,000 for breaching Covid rules. The rapper said he didn't expect so many people to turn up at Platt Fields Park on Sunday. The event was axed before he performed because of the large crowds that had gathered.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Defends UK Role in Iran Conflict After Renewed Criticism from President Trump
Blue Owl Reveals £36 Million Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender Serving Wealthy Clients
UK Asylum Reform Plan Triggers Fierce Debate Over Border Control and Humanitarian Impact
US Stealth Bombers Head to UK Base as Trump Issues Stark Warning to Iran
UK Deputy Prime Minister Says Legal Case Could Exist for British Strikes on Iranian Missile Sites
Investigators Link Mysterious Parcel Fires Across Europe to Russian Intelligence Operation
Debate Intensifies Over Britain’s Legal Justification for US Military Operations Launched From UK Bases
Britain Faces Heightened Energy Price Risks as Iran-Linked Tensions Threaten Global Oil and Gas Supplies
British Counter-Terror Police Arrest Four Suspected of Spying on Jewish Community for Iran
Axel Springer Agrees $770 Million Deal to Acquire Britain’s Daily Telegraph
Iceland Supermarket Drops Trademark Challenge Against Icelandic Government in Long-Running Naming Dispute
UK Defence Secretary Visits Cyprus Following Scrutiny of Britain’s Response to Drone Attacks
Questions Grow Over Britain’s Military Readiness as Response to Iran Conflict Draws Scrutiny
UK Offers Failed Asylum Seeker Families Up to Forty Thousand Pounds to Leave Voluntarily
Saharan Dust Could Bring ‘Blood Rain’ to Parts of the UK as Weather Systems Shift
UK Deploys Additional Typhoon Fighter Jets to Qatar and Helicopters to Cyprus Amid Rising Middle East Tensions
Experts Urge Britain to Accelerate Renewable Energy Push as Global Conflicts Drive Up Costs
British Public Shows Strong Reluctance to Join Wider War in Iran
First UK Evacuation Flight Departs Middle East After Lengthy Delay
United Kingdom Imposes New Visa Requirements on Travelers from St. Lucia and Nicaragua
Iran Conflict Strains U.S.–U.K. Alliance as Trump and Starmer Clash Over Military Strategy
UK Interest Rates Could Rise Above Four Percent Again if Energy Shock Continues, Think Tank Warns
Starmer Defends Britain’s Iran Strategy as Badenoch Urges Stronger Military Support
Labour MP Says She Saw No Sign Husband Broke Law After Arrest in China Espionage Investigation
UK Jobless Rate Overtakes Italy’s for First Time in Years as Labour Market Weakens
United Kingdom Suspends Student Visas for Four Countries in Unprecedented Immigration Move
Campaigners Warn UK Student Visa Ban Could Push Migrants Toward Dangerous Channel Crossings
First U.K. Charter Flight for Stranded Nationals Set to Depart Oman Amid Middle East Crisis
France and United Kingdom Deploy Warships to Eastern Mediterranean as Middle East Conflict Escalates
U.K. Arrests Three Men Including Lawmaker’s Partner in Suspected China Espionage Investigation
Trump Says UK–US ‘Special Relationship’ Is Diminished Amid Middle East Dispute
UK Economic Forecasts Face Fresh Strain from Middle East Conflict and Rising Energy Costs
UK Reaffirms Close US Ties After Trump’s Public Criticism
Reeves Stresses Stability and Fiscal Discipline in UK Budget Update as Growth Outlook Shifts
UK Deploys Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus After Drone Strike on RAF Base
Green Party Surges Past Labour in New UK Poll as Traditional Party Support Crumbles
Majority of Britons Oppose U.S. Use of UK Military Bases in Iran Conflict
UK Intensifies Evacuation Efforts from Oman, Working with Airlines to Boost Flight Capacity
Trump Condemns UK and Spain in Unusually Sharp Rift Over Iran Military Action
Trump Repeats UK Claims That Diverge from Verified Facts Amid Diplomatic Strain
UK Arrests Prominent Figures Linked to Epstein Network as Questions Mount Over US Action
Trump Says UK ‘Took Far Too Long’ to Approve Use of Airbases for Iran Strikes
Scope of Britain’s Role in the Expanding Middle East Conflict Comes Under Scrutiny
Trump Says He Is ‘Very Disappointed’ in Starmer Over Iran Comments
U.S. Embassy in Riyadh Struck by Drones Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Starmer Confronts Strategic Test After Drone Strike Near British Base in Cyprus
Rolls-Royce Chief Signals Openness to Germany Joining UK-Led Fighter Jet Programme
UK Stocks Slip as Escalating Iran Conflict Triggers Global Market Selloff
UK Overhauls Asylum System to Make Refugee Status Temporary
Starmer Warns of ‘Reckless’ Iranian Strikes Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
×