Behind the scenes

Scientists ‘flying at warp speed’ to decode the new Covid-19 variant

Royals furious about two-part documentary that shines light on inner workings of the households

Whitehall official rounds on ‘outdated’ and ‘completely incompetent’ department

PM’s inner circle in spotlight after weeks of disorder and damaging headlines

Tory MPs concerned PM ‘lacks strategy’ and presides over a cabinet of ‘nodding dogs’

Vice president’s allies reportedly fear for her political future

Two Labour lawmakers and 15 Tories claimed total of £1.3m for rental costs while letting out own properties

More than 250 specialist rescuers helped free the injured man trapped for two days

Is Zuckerberg right to be betting so much on the metaverse?

Eyebrows had been raised about the timing of Boris Johnson’s move to overhaul system

Secretive meetings part of ‘more sober’ approach to dealings between US and Russia

Aides reportedly drafting plans to extend ‘elite group’ authorised to deputise for Her Majesty amid health worries

Award licences to skippers not boats to unlock talks, French officials say

Protest organisers claim to have met ‘dozens’ of times with lawmakers and White House staff

Charlotte Higgins dives into the teeming, fractious history of the UK’s most prestigious fiction award

Branding shift could reflect ambition to become ‘metaverse company’

Inflated accommodation prices mean some visitors will travel from Edinburgh

PM whisks away top team as Brexit minister attends make-or-break EU summit

Microsoft founder ‘stammers’ when questioned about relationship with billionaire paedophile

‘Greedy babies’ forced to share 115-room country mansion in Kent

Location of ex-president’s latest rally serves as ‘biggest hint yet’ that he is considering second run

Why open-mindedness matters in a rapidly changing world

Treasury issues ‘stinging slapdown’ to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng

Paris warns it could withhold crucial supplies if post-Brexit rules are not honoured

Conservative donors linked to corruption scandals are in the spotlight after leak of financial documents

Share price is hit by global service outage and whistleblower allegations

Former press secretary had unrivalled access to Trump White House and ‘knows things no one else has been told’

Gen. Mark Milley is accused of contacting his Chinese opposite number to prevent President Trump starting a nuclear war

Prime minister to travel by rail for meeting with ‘train nut’ president where Afghanistan and climate change will be discussed

Former rival of Boris Johnson will oversee one of PM’s key government pledges

Erin O’Toole drafts in architects of UK PM’s 2019 win as battle with Liberals goes to the wire

Duke of York’s legal team reportedly instructed him ‘to refuse any request’ to discuss Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s lawsuit

Resignation of powerful director of news expected to trigger further political fallout

No. 10 asks visitors show vaccine passports to meet with prime minister