Fifteen people have been arrested during an anti-lockdown protest in Liverpool city centre.
Hundreds of demonstrators have gathered for rallies over the past two weekends since the second national lockdown started on 5 November.
Merseyside Police said those detained were being held on suspicion of breaching public order and coronavirus rules.
The force has implemented a dispersal zone in the city centre until Sunday.
Officers will have the power to ask people suspected of anti-social behaviour to leave the area and not return for up to 48 hours.
Under legislation, they will also have the power to seize any related items, including vehicles.
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Ch Supt Ngaire Waine said: "We all want to get back to normality as soon as possible, but the actions of those people who gathered in Liverpool today risk delaying that return and prolonging the suffering of so many."
Liverpool cases
About 33 people are reported to have died with the virus in the past week
There were 1,155 reported cases in the week to 16 November, compared with 1,429 cases in the previous week
Among the city's population of about 500,000, the rate has dropped to 232 per 100,000 from 287
Overall, there were 145,031 cases in England in the week to 16 November, or 258 per 100,000
More than 140,000 people in Liverpool have taken part in the country's first city-wide mass testing pilot, which started on 6 November.
The city had one of the highest rates of coronavirus infections and deaths in October, when it became the first area in England to face the highest tier restrictions.
Boris Johnson attempted to water down the official inquiry that found Home Secretary Priti Patel bullied staff, Whitehall sources have confirmed to Sky News.
It follows claims the prime minister tried and failed to convince his ministerial standards adviser Sir Alex Allan to tone down his finding that her behaviour amounted to bullying as he found instances of shouting and swearing.
The adviser resigned on Friday after Mr Johnson overruled his conclusion that Ms Patel breached the ministerial code and stood by his home secretary.
Image:Sir Alex Allan quit after his conclusion was overruled by the PM
Offering what she described as an "unreserved, fulsome apology", Ms Patel seized on Sir Alex's finding that she received no feedback on the impact of her behaviour.
He said she was advised not to shout and swear at staff the month after her appointment in 2019 and that he told her to treat staff with respect "on a number of further occasions".
Sir Philip also said he was not interviewed for the inquiry despite him having launched a constructive dismissal claim at an employment tribunal.
More from Priti Patel
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'I'm sorry that my behaviour upset people'
Sir David Omand, a former permanent secretary at the Home Office, told Sky News the controversy indicated "a gradual erosion of standards in public life".
He said the PM had "got himself in a completely unnecessary problem by rejecting the advice of his independent adviser because he doesn't like it".
"Well, that's not a very good reason for rejecting a very well-reasoned report," Sir David added.
"It's a rather adversarial approach and we saw that with his former adviser Dominic Cummings' comments.
"It's starting out from a position of 'I can't trust these officials' which is exactly the wrong position to start with.
"It's very much like President Trump's book The Art Of The Deal: you try and sort of bully your opponent into agreeing a deal, and that may work in real estate but it doesn't work when you're negotiating on behalf of the country or reaching long-term agreements on behalf of the country."
Image:Boris Johnson has stood by the home secretary
Speaking to Sky News, former diplomat and national security adviser Lord Ricketts said Sir Alex must have felt his position was "untenable" after being overridden by Mr Johnson.
He said: "The ministerial code is policed by the prime minister and if the prime minister rejects the finding of his independent adviser then there is clearly something quite wrong with the situation.
"It seems to imply that bullying by a senior minister is acceptable and that sends a very bad signal for relations between ministers and the civil service."
He added: "The country is facing such a serious issue with recovery from the pandemic, we need ministers and civil servants to be working together confidently, with trust and with frankness on both sides and this episode has not helped that."
Downing Street has not denied reports that Mr Johnson tried to influence the report's findings, with a spokesman instead saying: "As you would expect, the prime minister spoke to Sir Alex Allan to further his understanding of the report.
"Sir Alex's conclusions are entirely his own."
Labour has called for an urgent investigation and called for the "initial, unedited report" to be published in full.
Shadow home office minister Holly Lynch said: "These are serious allegations that suggest Boris Johnson tried to interfere with an investigation into bullying accusations against one of his closest political allies."
However, Number 10 has indicated the full report into Ms Patel's conduct would not be published in order to protect those who gave evidence.
The chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Lord Evans of Weardale, said Sir Alex's resignation was "deeply concerning" and that his committee would look "urgently" at what had happened as part of its review of the ministerial code.
TWO fishermen are missing and one has been pulled from the sea off East Sussex after a 'scallop war' boat sank early this morning.
Coastguard officials scrambled a search and rescue helicopter after a distress beacon was fired from fishing vessel Joanna C at 6am.
The RNLI are searching for two fishermen missing at sea after a boat sank off the coast of East Sussex this morningCredit: eddie mitchell
Other fish, ping vessels are also scouring the water for the crew of Joanna CCredit: Twitter Sussex_ex
The vessel, pictured in 2018, had a complete overhaul last year to turn it into a scallop boat capable of week-long tripsCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
Coastguard crews are also searching from the coast for signs of the missing men Credit: eddie mitchell
The Joanna C was previously involved in the scallop wars, a long-standing dispute between Brit and French fishermen that has seen UK vessels surrounded and rammed, while flares were allegedly thrown.
During the drama this morning, two RNLI lifeboats in Newhaven and Eastbourne were launched in a bid to track down the missing boat.
The beacon's signal put the vessel three nautical miles off the coast of Seaford, near Newhaven.
In an update at 10.30am, HM Coastguard said one man had been rescued from the water by the Newhaven RNLI lifeboat and has been transferred to hospital.
He was found clinging to a lifebuoy.
But searches continue for two missing crewmen.
The Joanna C is a 45ft scalloping vessel registered in Brixham, the Coastguard said, and three people were aboard when it sank.
The boat went down three nautical miles off Seaford
A helicopter crew is searching from the air after a third man was found clinging to a buoy Credit: eddie mitchell
A flare was fired from the stricken vessel at 6amCredit: eddie mitchell
The boat had previously been involved in the 'scallop wars' between British and French fishermanCredit: Rex Features
The Marine Traffic Map shows a number of vessels involved in the search
In September 2019, Fishing News reported that the boat had recently been overhauled during a nine-month programme of work.
The rebuild transformed the vessel into a scalloper capable of week-long fishing trips.
A coastguard rescue team are checking for sightings of the missing men from the shore.
Another fishing vessel close to the area is also helping with the search.
HM Coastguard controller Piers Stanbury said: "Thankfully, one of the three people on board at the time of sinking has been pulled out of the water and brought to shore by the Newhaven RNLI lifeboat.
"However, the intensive air and sea search for the two missing crew continues.
"Debris has been located close to the location of the alert location but no life raft has been found as yet."
Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes, called the news "heartbreaking".
The scallop wars broke out in 2012 and 2018 after British craft legally fished for the shellfish at a time when French fishers are not permitted to make catches.
Two drunk mums arrested for neglect after taking their four kids for late night swim in freezing sea
Boris Johnson attempted to water down the official inquiry that found Home Secretary Priti Patel bullied staff, Whitehall sources have confirmed to Sky News.
It follows claims the prime minister tried and failed to convince his ministerial standards adviser Sir Alex Allan to tone down his finding that her behaviour amounted to bullying as he found instances of shouting and swearing.
The adviser resigned on Friday after Mr Johnson overruled his conclusion that Ms Patel breached the ministerial code and stood by his home secretary.
Image:Sir Alex Allan quit after his conclusion was overruled by the PM
Offering what she described as an "unreserved, fulsome apology", Ms Patel seized on Sir Alex's finding that she received no feedback on the impact of her behaviour.
He said she was advised not to shout and swear at staff the month after her appointment in 2019 and that he told her to treat staff with respect "on a number of further occasions".
Sir Philip also said he was not interviewed for the inquiry despite him having launched a constructive dismissal claim at an employment tribunal.
More from Priti Patel
Speaking to Sky News, former diplomat and national security adviser Lord Ricketts said Sir Alex must have felt his position was "untenable" after being overridden by Mr Johnson.
He said: "The ministerial code is policed by the prime minister and if the prime minister rejects the finding of his independent adviser then there is clearly something quite wrong with the situation.
"It seems to imply that bullying by a senior minister is acceptable and that sends a very bad signal for relations between ministers and the civil service."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
'I'm sorry that my behaviour upset people'
He added: "The country is facing such a serious issue with recovery from the pandemic, we need ministers and civil servants to be working together confidently, with trust and with frankness on both sides and this episode has not helped that."
Downing Street has not denied reports that Mr Johnson tried to influence the report's findings, with a spokesman instead saying: "As you would expect, the prime minister spoke to Sir Alex Allan to further his understanding of the report.
"Sir Alex's conclusions are entirely his own."
Labour has called for an urgent investigation and called for the "initial, unedited report" to be published in full.
Shadow home office minister Holly Lynch said: "These are serious allegations that suggest Boris Johnson tried to interfere with an investigation into bullying accusations against one of his closest political allies."
However, Number 10 has indicated the full report into Ms Patel's conduct would not be published in order to protect those who gave evidence.
The chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Lord Evans of Weardale, said Sir Alex's resignation was "deeply concerning" and that his committee would look "urgently" at what had happened as part of its review of the ministerial code.
Boris Johnson attempted to water down the official inquiry that found Home Secretary Priti Patel bullied staff, Whitehall sources have confirmed to Sky News.
It follows claims the prime minister tried and failed to convince his standards ministerial adviser Sir Alex Allan to tone down his finding that her behaviour amounted to bullying as he found instances of shouting and swearing.
The adviser resigned on Friday after Mr Johnson overruled his conclusion that Ms Patel breached the ministerial code and stood by his home secretary.
Image:Sir Alex Allan quit after his finding overruled by the PM
Offering what she described as an "unreserved, fulsome apology", Ms Patel seized on Sir Alex's finding that she received no feedback on the impact of her behaviour.
He said she was advised not to shout and swear at staff the month after her appointment in 2019 and that he told her to treat staff with respect "on a number of further occasions".
Sir Philip also said he was not interviewed for the inquiry despite him having launched a constructive dismissal claim at an employment tribunal.
More from Priti Patel
Speaking to Sky News, former diplomat and national security adviser Lord Ricketts said: "The ministerial code is policed by the prime minister and if the prime minister rejects the finding of his independent adviser then there is clearly something quite wrong with the situation.
"It seems to imply that bullying by a senior minister is acceptable and that sends a very bad signal for relations between ministers and the civil service."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
'I'm sorry that my behaviour upset people'
He added: "The country is facing such a serious issue with recovery from the pandemic, we need ministers and civil servants to be working together confidently, with trust and with frankness on both sides and this episode has not helped that."
Downing Street has not denied reports that Mr Johnson tried to influence the report's findings, with a spokesman instead saying: "As you would expect, the prime minister spoke to Sir Alex Allan to further his understanding of the report.
"Sir Alex's conclusions are entirely his own."
Labour has called for an urgent investigation and called for the "initial, unedited report" to be published in full.
Shadow home office minister Holly Lynch said: "These are serious allegations that suggest Boris Johnson tried to interfere with an investigation into bullying accusations against one of his closest political allies."
However, Number 10 has indicated the full report into Ms Patel's conduct would not be published in order to protect those who gave evidence.
The chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Lord Evans of Weardale, said Sir Alex's resignation was "deeply concerning" and that his committee would look "urgently" at what had happened as part of its review of the ministerial code.
A man has been rescued and two others remain missing after a fishing boat sank off the Sussex coast.
A search began in the sea off Seaford, near Newhaven, when the Coastguard received an alert from the ship's emergency beacon at about 06:00 GMT.
A man was found clinging to a buoy and was taken to hospital, the Coastguard said.
Two crew members from the boat, the Joanna C, remain missing and a search is continuing.
The emergency signal put the 45ft scalloping vessel about three nautical miles off the coast.
Two helicopters and two lifeboats were deployed and a coastguard rescue team has been sent to check for sightings from the shore.
Other fishing boats in the area have also been helping with the search.
Piers Stanbury, HM Coastguard controller, said: "Thankfully one of the three people on board at the time of sinking has been pulled out of the water and brought to shore by the Newhaven RNLI lifeboat but the intensive air and sea search for the two missing crew continues.
"Debris has been located close to location of the EPIRB alert location but no life raft has been found as yet."
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a school teacher.
Caroline Kayll was attacked at an address in Linton, Northumberland, on Sunday evening, along with a 15-year-old boy, Northumbria Police said.
She died in hospital days later.
The teenage boy suffered serious, but non-life threatening injuries and was discharged from hospital.
The force said Paul Robson, 49, was detained in Glasgow on Friday.
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Ms Kayll, 47, worked as a teacher at Atkinson House school, which caters for children with social, emotional and mental health issues.
A 58-year-old man, arrested earlier this week on suspicion of assisting an offender, has since been released under investigation, police added.
More from Northumberland
Superintendent Paul Milner, of Northumbria Police, said: "In recent days our officers have been carrying out enquiries across the region and north of the border.
"Those enquiries have now led to the arrest of Paul Robson on suspicion of Caroline's murder and the serious assault of a teenage boy.
"We want to reassure the public that this was an isolated incident and at no point were they at risk.
"Enquiries into the circumstances leading up to this attack will continue but we would ask the public to avoid speculation.
"This is a live murder investigation and it is an incredibly difficult time for Caroline's family and the teenage boy injured in the attack.
"They will continue to receive our full support while we would ask anyone who has information that could assist our investigation to get in touch."