Union's scathing attack on government over mass Covid testing at London schools

direct to your inboxParents and teachers in Greater Manchester have spoken of their anger at the government's decision to only close primary schools in London and the South East - despite soaring coronavirus cases.Education secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed yesterday he was triggering the 'contingency framework' that will see all secondary schools have an extra week's holiday.Face-to-face teaching for exam year groups will resume from 11 January and all students will return on 18 January,

straight to your inboxBarcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta is confident Lionel Messi will remain at the club beyond next summer despite interest from Manchester City.Messi dropped a bombshell in the summer by revealing he was seriously unhappy at the club, submitting a transfer request in the hope the club would allow him to leave for nothing.Barcelona insisted the release clause that would see Messi depart on a free had expired and the Argentine opted against fighting his current

Manchester Evening News can reveal.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola challenged his Manchester City players to pull together as they deal with the setback of losing Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker.The two first team players tested positive for Covid-19 just before Christmas and are set to miss at least the Everton game having already been absent for the Newcastle game.

straight to your inboxMicah Richards says he is looking for more from Riyad Mahrez's end product on a consistent basis.The Manchester City star found the net in his side's 4-1 Carabao Cup victory over Arsenal, curling in a free-kick that should have been saved by Gunners goalkeeper Runar Runarsson.Yet the Icelandic international let the free-kick through his hands, giving Mahrez his fifth goal of the season.Mahrez previously scored a hat-trick in City's 5-0 win over Burnley but has struggled to

Boris Johnson, introduced Tier 4 restrictions for 17 million people in London and parts of the Home Counties from midnight on Saturday, which saw all but non-essential shops close and people being told not to travel for Christmas.Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletterYou can sign up very simply by following the instructions hereThe French ports were shut after the Tier 4 measures were introduced as a new highly-transmissible

direct to your inboxPolice have recovered a 'large knife' from the scene of a stabbing in Moss Side.A 15-year-old boy remains in a serious condition in hospital after he was stabbed in the back near Alexandra Park on Saturday night.Three teenagers, all 15, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after the attack.They remain in police custody for questioning.Police are treating the stabbing as a targeted attack.Greater Manchester Police are appealing for anyone with information about

direct to your inboxChristmas bubbles have been cancelled in London and the South East - but Greater Manchester residents will still be able to meet other households on Christmas Day only.Those living in the capital and the South East of England will be plunged into newly created Tier 4 restrictions from Sunday (December 20).They will not be allowed to form bubbles over the Christmas period as originally promised by the Prime Minister or mix indoors outside of their own households.Tier 4

direct to your inboxAll ten boroughs of Greater Manchester are now registering a lower coronavirus infection rate than the national average - although rates are increasing in some boroughs.The latest NHS data released today (Thursday) revealed 218.8 positive tests for every 100,000 people during the week to December 13 across England, an increase of 39 per cent compared to the previous week.Much of that spike is associated with a significant increase in cases in London, which registered 358.7

was scrapped after the government intervened. And now the government - which last week said schools could close one day earlier than planned - has threatened legal action against Greenwich Council in London to stop its move to have pupils learning remotely this week.

direct to your inboxVisitors to care homes in Greater Manchester will be given rapid Covid-19 tests before seeing their loved ones - but only if they have already tested negative for the virus after taking a standard test.Care homes had been warned against relying solely on lateral flow tests after concerns were raised around their accuracy and there being a lack of guidance for staff on how to use them.Lateral flow tests detect three quarters of positive cases within 30 minutes if carried out