Friday morning UK news briefing: Queen spent night in hospital after cancelling Northern Ireland visit

The Queen stayed overnight in hospital after receiving medical advice to cancel official duties this week, it emerged on Thursday night.

The 95-year-old sovereign had been due to visit Northern Ireland but was told by her doctors she should rest for a few days instead, a decision she was said to have "reluctantly" accepted.

Buckingham Palace said Her Majesty had subsequently been admitted to a hospital in London for some "preliminary investigations" by specialists on Wednesday.

The Queen's medical team are believed to have taken a cautious approach to her health by choosing to send her to a specialist for further checks.

Read how despite appearing to be in full health in public, the Queen has recently made several small concessions to working at the age of 95.

Baldwin shoots and kills woman on set with prop gun

The actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that accidentally killed the cinematographer and injured the director on the set of his movie in New Mexico, officials have said. Halyna Hutchins, 42, was airlifted from the set of Rust outside Sante Fe to hospital in Albuquerque but later died. Director Joel Souza, 42, remains in intensive care, according to the Santa Fe County sheriff. The sheriff's office said in a statement that Hutchins and Souza "were shot when a prop firearm was discharged by Alec Baldwin, 68, producer and actor". No one was arrested in the incident, and no charges have been filed. It has been reported Baldwin was seen on Thursday outside the sheriff's office in tears. Read more about cinematographer Hutchins who honed her skills in Britain.

Covid vaccine booster wait could be cut to five months

Covid booster jabs could soon be opened up to millions more elderly people under plans being discussed by ministers and scientific advisers. Proposals to cut the waiting time for a third Covid jab from six months to five are under discussion in Whitehall, with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) understood to be showing interest in the idea. It would mean the vast majority of over-65s could be vaccinated by early November rather than early December, and all over-70s jabbed now rather than by mid-November. Read on for details.

Kuenssberg 'in talks to leave BBC political editor job'

Laura Kuenssberg is in talks to step down from her job as the BBC's political editor, according to reports. The journalist, who has been in the role for six years, could be replaced and made a presenter of the Today programme, according to claims first reported by the partner of Jess Brammar, the BBC's executive news editor, who took the role in September this year amid controversy about her previous criticism of the Government. Read which other journalists could be on the move.

Daily dose of Matt

• Today's cartoon | View Matt's latest cartoon on the slow take up of booster vaccines.

Also in the news: Today's other headlines

MP killing | The man charged with murdering Sir David Amess had been plotting to kill an MP for two years after being inspired by Islamic State and the conflict in Syria, a court has heard. It is alleged Ali Harbi Ali, 25, previously focused on two other politicians. Read on for details.

• 'Scaremongering' | Prue Leith opposes MP son to back assisted dying

• Face-to-face | GPs ballot for strike action over seeing patients

• Care homes | Near collapse as 'exhausted' staff prefer to work in pubs

• 'Polexit' row | Merkel faces down Macron at last summit

• Heat pumps | No Cabinet ministers have installed green technology

Around the world: Ex-Spanish king sex drive claims

The former king of Spain was injected with female hormones as his sex drive was considered a "state problem", according to a notorious former police chief. José Manuel Villarejo, a disgraced former police commissioner entangled in allegations of spying, fraud and bribery, told Spain's parliament that Juan Carlos had been administered testosterone blockers to dampen his "ardent" libido. "They took everything away from him, he couldn't be with a woman or anything," said Mr Villarejo, who was at the centre of a scandal that eventually led to the king's exile.

Comment and analysis

• Fraser Nelson | NHS isn't facing another Covid crisis - Javid knows it

• Robert Jenrick | Time to renew the fight against extremist ideologies

• Madeline Grant | Rees-Mogg goes for gold in trolling Olympics

• Judith Woods | Who would be the mother of girls today?

• Reader letters | Bill allows those who are suffering to die with dignity

Editor's choice

1. Veg and two veg | What would a meat-free Britain actually look like?

2. Viral hit | Introducing 'American Viscountess' – the Clarkson’s Farm of stately homes

3. Not a 'women's disease' | 'My dad and I were both diagnosed with breast cancer'

Sport briefing: West Ham shine but Spurs beaten

Just how far could West Ham go in Europe this season? The drama of the Europa League knockout stages is within their grasp already after taking nine points from nine, as their set-piece power overwhelmed Genk. A heavily-rotated Tottenham were beaten by Vitesse as fringe players failed to take their chance and Jose Mourinho's Roma were humiliated by Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca is the choice of Newcastle United director, and part owner, Amanda Staveley to succeed Steve Bruce and steer the club away from relegation danger.

Business briefing: UK further behind Germany and US

Britain is set to fall further behind Germany in the competitiveness of its tax system as a string of Treasury raids risk making it an increasingly unappealing business destination, a leading Tory think tank has warned. The Centre for Policy Studies said that the UK's outdated business rates system, combined with a planned corporation tax hike and National Insurance raid to fund social care, could derail Boris Johnson's levelling up ambitions and throw economic growth off course. The warning comes after official figures revealed that government borrowing was lower than expected in September, as this graph shows, giving Rishi Sunak more financial room for manoeuvre at the Budget next week.

Friday night dinner

Pasta alla Genovese with cavolo pesto | As the weather turns, Eleanor Steafel says it's time to bring back double starch with potatoes tossed in this punchy pesto. View the recipe.

Your daily travel inspiration

No more breakneck itineraries | There has been much discussion of late about a brave new world of travel, re-emerging slower-paced and more localised than it was prior to 2020, with greater cultural immersion and environmental consideration. Featuring tuk-tuks and the Duchess of Sussex's dalliance with the Ninth Baron of Budach, Mark Stratton finds that Malta's secrets are best revealed on a six-day small group tour.

And finally... for this morning's downtime

Style secrets | If you want to look like Logan Roy, suit and ties alone do not cut it in a world where four-figure cashmere carries more clout than a precisely cut two-piece. Stephen Doig sets out the rules of suiting, according to Succession's billionaire men.