Welcome to your early morning news briefing from The Telegraph - a round-up of the top stories we are covering on Saturday. To receive twice-daily briefings by email, sign up to our Front Page newsletter for free.
1. Fourth Covid vaccines won’t be necessary, say JCVI experts
Fourth Covid vaccines are not currently needed, government scientific advisers have said, amid increasing evidence that the omicron strain is much milder than previous variants.
On Friday night, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announced that booster jabs continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from omicron in older adults, including the most vulnerable. Read the full story.
2. Louise Minchin: The threats from my stalker were so graphic I still haven’t allowed my husband to read them
Louise Minchin has told how threats sent by her stalker were so graphic that she did not allow her husband to read them, as the former BBC Breakfast presenter spoke for the first time about how the ordeal almost pushed her into quitting her job. Read the full story.
3. Queen would be asked to help pay off Prince Andrew’s accuser if sex abuse case settled
The Queen would be asked to help fund any potential settlement the Duke of York pays his accuser, The Telegraph understands.
The option to pay off Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who has accused the Duke of sexually abusing her when she was 17, has not been ruled out by his legal team as it faces the prospect of an exposing and potentially damaging trial. Read the full story.
4. Boris Johnson’s private secretary accused of hosting another ‘lockdown breaking’ garden party
The civil servant who runs Boris Johnson’s private office arranged a garden party in May 2020 which is accused of breaking lockdown rules, it emerged on Friday.
Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary, issued an email invitation for the Downing Street garden gathering, three sources have told The Telegraph. Read the full story.
5. Premier League stars who refuse Covid vaccine could be barred from playing matches
Premier League footballers who refuse to get Covid vaccinations will effectively be barred from playing some matches under a rule change being pushed by the Culture Department.
Under the current rules, unjabbed elite sportsmen who return to the UK from abroad can break the obligatory 10 days of self-isolation to attend training or compete at events. Read the full story.
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