The Health Secretary Matt Hancock has pledged mass coronavirus testing for the UK population so that restrictions can be eased.
It follows calls for a mass-testing regime to be adopted in order to keep the spread of Covid-19 under control, and so that live music and sport events can resume more quickly.
"This is a really, really important drive that we have across Government to bring in mass testing, population-wide testing," Mr Hancock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"The mass testing, population testing, where we make it the norm that people get tested regularly, allowing us therefore to allow some of the freedoms back, is a huge project in Government right now with enormous support."
Mr Hancock did not put a date on when mass testing would be available, but said that capacity would continue to be increased throughout the remainder of 2020.
Follow the latest updates below.
09:55 PM
Puerto Rico imposes stricter measures amid coronavirus spike
Puerto Rico's governor announced today that she will place the U.S. territory on a 24-hour lockdown every Sunday as part of stricter measures to fight a spike incoronavirus cases.
Gyms, theatres and bars will remain closed and only restaurants with outdoor areas will be allowed to seat people, but at 25 per cent capacity.
Governor Wanda Vazquez said businesses who violate the rules will be shut down for a month.
In addition, beaches will remain open only to those doing exercise such as runners and surfers, and businesses, malls and banks will be allowed to operate at only 25 per cent capacity.
The new measures go into effect Saturday and will remain in place until September 11.
"We have to adjust to living in a new reality," Vazquez said, blaming the jump in cases on "careless" people.
09:49 PM
Brazil reports nearly 50,000 new coronavirus cases, deaths top 111,000
Brazil has reported 49,298 new cases of coronavirus and 1,212 deaths in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said today.
The South American country has now registered 3,456,652 cases of the virus since the pandemic began, while the official death toll from Covid-19 has risen to 111,100, according to ministry data, marking the world's worstcoronavirus outbreak after the United States.
09:34 PM
Obama's scathing criticism of President Trump's handling of Covid-19 pandemic revealed
Our US editor Ben Riley-Smith has the full details below.
NEW: Exerpts from Barack Obama’s speech tonight have just been released and he’s not holding back. pic.twitter.com/iIgzOb7Hxr
Croatia is set to be ditched from the Government’s quarantine-free list of holiday destinations on Thursday, giving up to 20,000 Britons just 30 hours to return to the UK to avoid having to self-isolate for 14 days.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, is due to add the Balkan holiday hotspot to the UK’s “red list” of nations after a sharp rise in Coronavirus cases.
However, Portugal, which has been excluded from the “green list” of quarantine-free countries since the beginning of July, was on the brink of returning on Wednesday night after bringing down its Covid rate. A final decision is expected on Thursday.
Official figures show Croatia’s cumulative seven-day average has risen to 27.4 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 of the population, which is well above the Government’s safety threshold of 20 per 100,000.
It is more than treble its rate of 7.8 per 100,000 a week ago.
09:07 PM
Russia's coronavirus vaccine 'not certain to work' according to scientists who developed it
The Russian coronavirus vaccine hailed by President Vladimir Putin is not certain to work and has side effects including swelling, fever and pain, according to scientists who developed the drug.
Mr Putin announced on Tuesday that Russia had approved the world’s first vaccine against the virus, saying his own daughter had taken part in clinical trials. Officials said the vaccine would be offered to medics as early as this month and rolled out to the general population from October.
But documents on an official Russian health ministry website said the vaccine had been tested on too few volunteers over too short a time to draw conclusions about its effectiveness, and described a number of side effects.
“Adverse events...were met frequently or very frequently,” according to the report from Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, which developed the vaccine.
Mexico tells Russia it eager to have coronavirus vaccine
Mexico has told Moscow it is eager to have Russia's coronavirus vaccine once phase three testing for the product is complete, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Wednesday.
After a meeting with Russia's ambassador to Mexico, Viktor Koronelli, Ebrard said on Twitter that he had communicated Mexico's interest that phase three should be carried out "so as to have the vaccine as soon as possible in Mexico."
Agradezco al Embajador de la Federación Rusa, Víctor K. Koronelli, su visita a SRE. Hablamos de la vacuna Sputnik 5. Le externé nuestro interés por aplicar la fase 3 para contar con la vacuna a la brevedad posible en México. pic.twitter.com/9H3Zjd6k2i
The National Football League (NFL) which will kick off its season in three weeks, has not ruled out the idea of creating a restricted postseason bubble to keep teams safe from COVID-19 as they vie for a Super Bowl berth.
NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said on Wednesday the idea of holding playoff games in a so-called bubble was originally brought up by New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton.
"The concept was discussed on our last competition committee call," Vincent said on a conference call with reporters. "Is it something that we are considering? All things are on the table, frankly, at this juncture during this fluid environment."
The National Basketball Association is currently holding its postseason in a restricted campus at Disney World in Florida while the National Hockey League is staging its Stanley Cup Playoffs in two Canadian cities.
08:37 PM
Update: Bahrain ends mandatory self-isolation for all arrivals
Bahrain announced today it would end a protocol that required all those arriving in the country to self-isolate at home for 10 days regardless of the outcome of testing, its health ministry said in a statement.
Instead, in the new procedure beginning on Thursday, arrivals will be tested twice, both on arrival and 10 days later, but will be able to end their self-isolation if the first test is negative.
The ministry said this change comes as only 0.2% of those tested 10 days post-arrival had tested positive in the period between July 1 and Aug. 16.
Bahrain has recorded 3,482 coronavirus cases and 178 deaths.
08:27 PM
London needs Eat Out to Help Out extension, says pub tycoon.
The government needs to extend its Eat Out to Help Out scheme to help London and other struggling cities recover from the pandemic, according to the boss of pub chain Greene King.
Chief executive Nick Mackenzie told the Evening Standard that its trade in the capital had been “significantly worse” than expected since lock-down restrictions eased, with weekly sales about 60 per cent lower than one year ago.
His comments will fuel concerns about the damage being done to London’s once-thriving bars and restaurants as workers continue to stay away from offices.
Greene King, which was sold last year to Hong Kong investor Li Ka-shing for £2.7bn, has more than 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels in the UK, including in the City and the West End.
Profits for the year to April 26, about one month after lockdown was enacted, fell 15 per cent to £412m.
USA: Covid-19 vaccine won't be mandatory, says disease official
Dr Anthony Fauci, the United States' top infectious diseases official, said the government wouldn't make any future Covid-19 vaccine obligatory for the general public - though local jurisdictions could make it mandatory for some groups, like children.
"You don't want to mandate and try and force anyone to take a vaccine. We've never done that," said Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, during a video talk organized by George Washington University.
"You can mandate for certain groups of people like health workers, but for the general population you can't" he added, citing the example of the National Institutes of Health, where health workers can't treat patients without a flu shot.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases
The United States' decentralized system of government, and anti-vaccine sentiments that have been building for decades, had in any case made a program of mandatory immunization unlikely.
"It would be unenforceable and not appropriate," said Fauci.
08:04 PM
Indigenous Americans and Alaska Natives hit harder by Covid-19, US study says
Indigenous Americans and Alaska Natives have been hit harder by Covid-19 than the U.S. white population and have been more likely to become infected by the novel coronavirus at a younger age, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed on Wednesday.
The incidence of laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases among people identified as Indigenous Americans or Alaska Natives was 3.5 times that of non-Hispanic whites, making them one of the racial and ethnic minority groups at highest risk, according to the study based on data from 23 U.S. states from Jan. 22 to July 3.
The data also showed that those testing positive for the coronavirus tended to be younger than white non-Hispanic people with Covid-19. The researchers found that 12.9% of infections among American Indians or Alaska Natives were in people under age 18, compared to 4.3% among non-Hispanic whites.
07:58 PM
Bahrain cancels home self-isolation protocol for those entering the country
Bahrain has announced it would cancel the home self-isolation protocol for all people entering the country, but would continue conducting the laboratory examination for coronavirus, state TV reported on Twitter.
Bahrain has recorded 3,482 coronavirus cases and 178 deaths.
07:49 PM
USA: Iowa governor's push to reopen schools descends into chaos
An aggressive push by Iowa's pro-Trump governor to reopen schools amid a worsening coronavirus outbreak has descended into chaos, with some districts and teachers rebelling and experts calling the scientific benchmarks used by the state arbitrary and unsafe.
"We're about to see a tragedy occur in the state. And there's not a lot we can do about it. That's frightening," said Sara Anne Willette of Ames, a parent and former maths tutor who runs a website tracking state infection data.
At issue is Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds' mandate in July that districts offer at least 50% classroom instruction.
The conflict intensified today when the statewide teachers union announced a lawsuit challenging the governor's ability to make such decisions for local districts. The Iowa City school board, which like many others had planned to start the year fully online, voted to join the lawsuit.
Public Schools custodian Cynthia Adams cleans a desk in a classroom at Brubaker Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa - AP
07:39 PM
Football: Marseille boss Villas-Boas urges support for virus-infected players
Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas urged support for the club's players infected by coronavirus after three new cases took the number of infected at the Ligue 1 club to four.
Tuesday's positive tests saw the French league forced into postponing the opening match of the 2020/21 season, which had been scheduled to be between Marseille and Saint-Etienne on Friday.
Olympique Marseille's head coach Andre Villas-Boas wears a protective face mask whilst leading his team's training session - Shutterstock
Coach Andre Villas-Boas said: "Unfortunately we live this week between a certain anxiety and bad news."
"The pandemic that stubbornly continues to scare and affect so many families has ended up knocking on our door."
Villas-Boas vowed that "we will soon be together again".
07:29 PM
Assaults on officers soared during lockdown, new figures from Met Police reveal
Assaults on police officers have risen dramatically during the coronavirus lockdown, figures have revealed.
The Metropolitan Police said 2,027 assaults on its officers were recorded between May and July, compared with 1,475 in the same months in 2019 - a rise of 37 per cent.
Bosses believe the rise has been fuelled by operations to shut down unlicensed music events, coughing and spitting attacks linked to coronavirus and altercations while policing mass protests across London.
Data shows that in the 12 months from August 2019, 6,668 officers were attacked - a 16% rise on the previous year - 42% of whom were injured.
The Met has also seen a rise in the monthly number of assaults. Between June 2019 and April 2020, the average per month was 510, but there were 676 in May this, 717 in June and 634 in July.
The latest assault saw an officer thrown against a wall and knocked out as he tried to make an arrest in Hackney, north-east London.
France daily virus cases hit new post-lockdown high
France today recorded new coronavirus cases at the fastest daily rate since May, official figures showed, as the country prepares for the return from summer holidays.
Almost 3,800 Covid-19 infections were confirmed in the past 24 hours, the health ministry's DGS public health division said.
"All indicators continue to climb and transmission of the virus is intensifying," the DGS said in a statement.
More than 3,000 new daily cases have been registered on just two days since May, on Saturday and Sunday last weekend.
Several departments in both the Ile-de-France region around the capital Paris and the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region around Mediterranean port city Marseille on Wednesday passed the "alert threshold" of 50 new daily cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the DGS said.
Nationwide, over 16,700 infections have been detected over the past week.
07:10 PM
USA: Emergency approval of blood plasma as Covid-19 treatment on hold
The emergency approval of blood plasma as a potential Covid-19 treatment by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now been put on hold, the New York Times reported today, citing two senior administration officials.
A group of top federal health officials, including leading virus expert Anthony Fauci, have argued that the emerging data on the treatment was too weak, the report said, adding that an emergency approval could still be granted in the near future.
The authorization is on hold for now as more data is reviewed, the NYT reported, citing Clifford Lane, the clinical director at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institute of Health (NIH).
"Per policy, we are not able to comment on whether or not we will take any action regarding emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma," the FDA said.
06:59 PM
Watch: Heathrow Airport sets up new Covid-19 test facility to reduce quarantine time
The UK's busiest airport, London's Heathrow Airport, has unveiled a new coronavirus testing facility that could greatly reduce the length of time people have to stay at home after arriving from countries on the government's quarantine list.
The new facility will reportedly have 13,000 tests available to passengers each day - with results within hours. It is proposed that arrivals will then take a second test at home and will be able to leave their 14-day quarantine early if they pass both.
The facility has been set up by aviation services company Collinson and logistics firm Swissport at Heathrow's Terminal 2, with the Heathrow CEO saying, directed at the government, "Give us the green light to go ahead...to help rebuild the economy".
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government was not in a position to back Heathrow's plan but insisted that it was working with airports to find a way for coronavirus testing to reduce the quarantine period.
06:50 PM
Turkey in talks with Germany, China, Russia on vaccine trials
Turkey is in talks with Russia, Germany and China about conducting Phase 3 trials for coronavirus vaccines developed in those countries, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Wednesday.
Germany and China have applied to conduct the Phase 3 trials in Turkey and have presented pre-clinical trial results, while Ankara wants to see pre-clinical results from Russia before the trials, Koca said.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara, he said there were 13 vaccines being developed in Turkey, three of which have gone beyond the animal testing phase.
Turkey's coronavirus cases have been on the rise in recent weeks. On Wednesday, Turkey recorded 1,303 cases, the highest daily level since the end of June, according to official data.
People attend the Sunday mass while adhering to Covid-19 pandemic social distancing rules at the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul, Turkey on August 17, 2020 - Andalou
06:40 PM
More than 600 acts of violence committed in connection to Covid-19, the International Red Cross has said
More than 600 cases of violence, harassment or stigmatization in relation to cases of Covid-19 have been recorded by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) during the first six months of the pandemic.
Some 611 violent acts took place from February to July across more than 40 countries, the ICRC said on Tuesday, adding that the real number of incidents is likely much higher. More than 20% of incidents were physical assaults, while 15% were verbal assaults or threats and another 15% constituted fear-based discrimination, it said.
"This crisis has put health care workers in harm's way at a time when they are needed the most," the head of ICRC's Health Care in Danger initiative, Maciej Polkowski, said in a statement.
"These attacks have a devastating impact on access to and provision of health care when many health systems are overwhelmed," Polkowski added.
06:30 PM
Football: Southampton first-team player tests positive for Covid-19 after holiday return
Southampton have been dealt a blow in their pre-season preparations after a first-team player tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from a summer holiday.
Telegraph Sport, who is aware the player's identity,has learned the member of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad was asymptomatic upon arrival in the UK but a test showed he had coronavirus.
Southampton have not commented. It is understood players will have their first club testing session of pre-season on Thursday.
The player in question faces training on his own for a period before returning to Hasenhuttl’s squad as they prepare for the 2020/21 campaign following their excellent results during the Premier League's return, losing just one game.
While players were only travelling to training and matches at the end of last season, there has been added risk during the summer break as players travelled across Europe to holiday destinations, some of which required people to quarantine upon returning to the UK.
France: Colmar Jazz Festival postponed to 2021 over coronavirus
The 25th edition of France's Colmar Jazz Festival, scheduled for September, has been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus epidemic, the city said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Current progress in the health crisis does not allow us today, realistically, to consider staging concerts in September," the statement says, adding that this edition of the festival will now take place in 2021.
Guitarists Sylvain Luc and Bireli Lagrene, American singer China Moses, daughter of Dee Dee Bridgewater, and French pianist Sebastian Troendle were to perform at this year's festival in the city near the Rhine river border with Germany.
06:18 PM
Cuba to start clinical trials of potential Covid-19 vaccine
Cuba is set to start a series of clinical trials next week of a potential coronavirus vaccine called "Soberana 01" ("Sovereign 01") developed by its state-run Finlay Institute, with results due in February, state-run media said on Wednesday.
The potential coronovirus vaccine will be delivered in two injections during the trials that will involve 676 people aged between 19 and 80 years and conclude on Jan. 11.
The Communist-run island prides itself on its biopharmaceutical industry, begun by former revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, which is also an important hard currency earner and already produces several vaccines.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, told Cuban state news agency Prensa Latina that Cuba could even be one of the places it could choose to produce the vaccine from November onwards.
Authorities say their treatments for the new coronavirus have already helped it reduce mortality in sufferers.
06:10 PM
Zambia's vice president tests positive for Covid-19
Zambia's vice president Inonge Mutukwa today tested positive for coronavirus, the presidency said in a statement, Mutukwa's condition is said to be stable and is currently in self-isolation at home.
"The vice president has some mild symptoms that are being managed appropriately ... She is in high spirits and working virtually ..." the statement from the presidency said.
06:04 PM
France's new daily Covid-19 infections up by almost 4,000
The French health ministry reported 3,776 new confirmed coronavirus infections today, bringing the total to 225,043, with the daily tally going beyond the 3,000 threshold for the third time in five days.
The seven-day moving average of the case count, which smoothes out daily reporting irregularities, is now at 2,621, going beyond the 2,500 threshold for the first time since April 19, when France was in the midst of a strict lockdown to contain the virus.
06:01 PM
Toulouse becomes first major French city to impose blanket mask-wearing outdoors amid infection rise
France's fourth largest city has become the first to make mask-wearing compulsory outdoors for anyone over the age of 12.
Local authorities in Toulouse say they are acting preemptively before the summer holidays draw to a close amid fears mass movements in and out of town will lead to a spike in Covid-19 infections.
Face masks are already compulsory on public transport in France and indoors in public places.
However, with the number of daily infections surpassing 3,000 twice in the past week, local authorities in many urban areas, including Paris, have tightened rules to make masks obligatory in certain zones, such as busy streets and outdoor food markets.
Update: Norway adds Britain, Greece, Austria and Ireland to quarantine list
Norway said today it will impose a 10-day quarantine on all people arriving from Britain, Austria, Greece and Ireland from August 22 due to rising numbers of Covid-19 cases in those countries.
Similar restrictions will also be imposed on those coming from the Danish capital Copenhagen, the Norwegian foreign ministry said in a statement.
To try to prevent a domestic resurgence of the virus, Norway will quarantine all travellers from countries with more than 20 confirmed new Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population during the past two weeks.
Norway diagnosed 366 people with Covid-19 last week, the second highest level of any single week since April, but well below the record 1,733 cases found in a single week in late March, data from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health showed.
05:44 PM
How to pretend you're on holiday in France when you're actually stuck in the UK
Want to know how to sidestep this pesky quarantine rule by bringing France to your doorstep? We have the answers:
Head out for a baguette. Commit to eating French bread and croissants and go and buy them fresh, first thing, unless that involves getting a bus, which would be too depressing. Once you have the baguette/croissants return to your house and consume with cafe au lait served in the sugar bowl.
Eat all your meals outside under an umbrella and be sure to have rosé at lunch, if not pasties at eleven, and a bowl of figs on the table at all times. Stock up on Bonne Maman apricot jam and radishes and unsalted white butter.
Only wear espadrilles. Decide to wear your French holiday wardrobe whatever the weather throws at you (add a pashmina and painter’s jacket if necessary) and keep a straw hat on whenever outdoors (surprisingly effective for shifting your mood). Also wear your swimmers at all times (under your clothes).
USA: Coronavirus deaths in Florida surpasses 10,000
The number of people in Florida confirmed to have died from coronavirus surpassed 10,000 today, as teachers and state officials argued in court over whether brick-and-mortar schools should be forced to reopen this month.
Florida reported 174 deaths today, bringing the total number of deaths for residents and nonresidents to at least 10,067, the fifth highest death toll in the nation.
Florida's daily average reported deaths over the past week was 167 deaths.
The state reported a total of 584,047 coronavirus cases, a daily increase of 4,115 .
Hospitalizations for the virus have been declining for nearly a month, and the growth in new cases has been decelerating. The positivity rate for Covid-19 testing in Florida has averaged about 11.4% over the past week.
05:26 PM
Coronavirus in pictures from around the world
Students in Mexico in the stands of University Olympic Stadium taking the entrance exam for Mexico's National Autonomous University, - Hector Vivas German Health Minister Jens Spahn looks at an intubation system for patients infected with the new coronavirus - AFP A Pepsi staffer wears her protective mask as she offers alcohol-gel to masked passersby in Rua Frederico Arouca, a pedestrian street normally teeming with tourists - Corbis News
05:13 PM
Norway to impose 10-day quarantine on people coming from Britain, Greece, Austria, Ireland
Norway said today it will impose a 10-day quarantine on all people arriving from Britain, Austria, Greece and Ireland from August 22 due to rising numbers of Covid-19 cases in those countries.
Similar restrictions will also be imposed on those coming from the Danish capital Copenhagen, the Norwegian foreign ministry said in a statement.
05:08 PM
Council leader urges city residents to 'step up' to help combat Covid-19 rise
The leader of Birmingham City Council has urged residents to pull together to tackle an "extremely concerning" rise in Covid-19 cases.
Councillor Ian Ward issued a statement today in which he said the rise in coronavirus cases was "not currently on the scale seen elsewhere in the country".
But he added that people in the city, many of whom had stories of tragedy relating to their family and friends since the onset of Covid-19, had to remain focussed.
Mr Ward said: "We've all made sacrifices over the past five months to tackle its devastating impact, and that is what was helping bring the issue under control here in Birmingham.
"Most people are still doing the right things - the basics such as handwashing, wearing face coverings in the appropriate places and keeping two metres apart wherever possible."
"Ultimately, there is a role for everyone here. Now is the time to step up and all do our bit for Birmingham, like never before."
05:00 PM
Spain records 3,700 infections in single day
Spain's Health Ministry says 3,715 coronavirus infections have been diagnosed in the past 24 hours, a new single-day record since the country emerged from a three-month lockdown in mid-June.
With 136 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for the past two weeks, Spain tops the European chart of the highest cumulative incidence. It's one of the main indicators closely monitored by epidemiologists.
The Madrid region, home to 6.6 million, has emerged as one of the hot spots in the new wave of outbreaks, which officials have linked mostly to family reunions and nightlife.
New regulations, including on hours of nightlife and close outdoor smoking, take effect Thursday in the Spanish capital.
The country added 127 deaths to reach nearly 28,800 confirmed victims. However, the number doesn't count those who suffered from the coronavirus but weren't tested.
Listen below to our podcast on how Spain lost control
04:52 PM
Germany would have missed 2020 climate goal without Covid-19 emissions drop
Germany could meet its climate target for 2020 but would have missed the goal if the economic havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic had not caused a large drop in greenhouse gas emissions, the country's environment ministry said.
Germany, Europe's largest-emitting country, had hoped to cut emissions to 40% below 1990 levels this year and introduced new climate policies in 2019.
However, policy efforts would have delivered only a 37.5% emissions cut, the ministry said today.
"We have learned the right lessons from past failures," German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze said. "Every year we will check whether we are on the path we have agreed, and take further action if necessary."
04:45 PM
Keep calm and eat an orange a day, says Britain’s oldest survivor of Covid-19
Angela Hutor, 107, has lived through both World Wars and four respiratory pandemics including the 1918 Spanish Flu.
She caught Covid-19 in April and nearly died but has lived to tell the tale.
Celebrating her 107th birthday with a glass of champagne last week, she was asked for the secret of a long life. “Count your blessings. That’s important”, she said, “and a fresh orange every day – cut into quarters, not juiced.”
Angela Hutor, 107, celebrating her birthday last week in north London. She has survived two world wars and four respiratory pandemics
Mrs Hutor’s parents are Italian but she moved first to Cannes in France and then to London when she was eight. She remembers age five or six, the Spanish Flu pandemic which swept Europe towards the end of the First World War, killing millions.
Lack of Covid-19 testing for people in supported living branded a 'national disgrace'
It is a "national disgrace" that hundreds of thousands of people in supported living are not able to get regular coronavirus testing, a care sector leader has said.
Community Integrated Care chief executive Mark Adams told MPs that there were 850,000 people in supported living environments compared to 450,000 in care homes in the UK.
Speaking before the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on coronavirus today, Mr Adams said many people in supported living were frail or had "many comorbidities".
But they are not able to get tested for coronavirus unless they have symptoms, he told the APPG.
Mr Adams added: "What I think is a national disgrace is right the way throughout the whole crisis the 850,000 people in supported living environments, many of whom are frail or with many comorbidities, haven't been able to get testing unless they have been symptomatic and that is still the case."
04:31 PM
Rugby club cancels pre-season friendly after players suffering from Covid-19 develop lesions on lungs
Stade Francais have been forced to cancel a pre-season friendly against Toulon after a number of players who have been suffering from Covid-19 developed lesions on their lungs.
The Top 14 clubs were due to meet on August 27 ahead of the start of the new season in France on September 5, with France's leading clubs having not played since the 2019/20 campaign was cancelled due to Covid-19 earlier in March.
It was reported last week by L'Equipe that there had been 25 positive tests for coronavirus at the club, which led to Stade Francais halting training and putting their players and coaches into isolation. The club had previously cancelled another pre-season fixture against Brive, which had been due to take place on August 14.
Italian villages, abandoned during the pandemic, are offering free holidays for visitors
Bargain hunters and frustrated globe trotters have swamped an Italian village with requests to stay after it offered free lodging to lure tourists to its abandoned hilltop hamlets.
From the United States to China, more than 8,000 people have applied to stay in the medieval southern village of San Giovanni since a promotional visitor campaign that launched in June went viral.
"We did not expect such a response," said Stefano Trotta, head of the local cultural association behind the campaign.
Mr Trotta said the group can only accommodate 12 guests a week so it has diverted some would-be visitors to nearby villages.
"We had about 70 requests from Kazakhstan, some from remote Russian towns ... from all over the world really".
04:16 PM
Croatia edges closer to UK quarantine as cases rise
Croatia remains on the cusp of UK quarantine restrictions after a further rise in coronavirus cases.
The country recorded its second highest number of new infections on Tuesday – 199 – meaning its seven-day average, the figure used by Downing Street to assess the safety of ‘travel corridors’, now stands at 27.2 per 100,000 residents. The threshold for quarantine is understood to be 20.
A decision is expected on Thursday with any possible measures introduced at 4am on Saturday, as they were for France last weekend.
Hundreds of restaurants pull out of Eat Out to Help Out as staff suffer 'physical and mental stress'
Hundreds of restaurants are pulling out of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, the Telegraph has learnt, as staff complain the rush for discounted meals has made their lives intolerable.
A combination of hot temperatures and the promise of half-price restaurant bills on Mondays to Wednesday in August saw venues across the country besieged by customers hunting a bargain.
Businesses are allowed to deregister from the government-funded scheme and several based in areas particularly popular with tourists found themselves doing so within days.
Italian wine to be turned into hand sanitising gel as coronavirus causes plunge in demand
The equivalent of 70 million bottles will be turned into sanitising gel.
In a move described by one Italian newspaper as “oenological hara-kiri,” around 11 million gallons of wine, will be turned into 92 per cent proof alcohol.
The closure of bars, restaurants and pubs in Italy and around the world means that Italian vintners cannot sell the wine they produced from last year’s harvest.
It takes 100 litres of wine to make 10 litres of distilled alcohol. The scheme is being subsidised by the Italian government to the tune of €50 million.
Elio Pescarmona, director of the 130 year-old Tre Secoli winery in Piedmont said:
“We’ve been forced into this by coronavirus emergency. It’s an extreme act, something that nobody likes at all."
Bangladesh ready to trial Indian Covid-19 vaccines
Bangladesh is ready to hold trials of potential Covid-19 vaccines developed by India and will receive early supplies of any successful candidate, officials said today.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his foreign secretary to Bangladesh's capital Dhaka on Tuesday on a two-day visit to hold meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and officials.
"Bangladesh is ready to collaborate in the development of a COVID vaccine, including its trial, and looks forward to early affordable availability of the vaccine when it is ready," its foreign ministry said in a statement.
India is home to the world's biggest vaccine making company, the Serum Institute of India, and is currently holding trials for three potential Covid-19 vaccines, including one licensed to AstraZeneca Plc by Oxford University.
Bangladeshi street vendors selling face masks, googles, PPE and hand sanitizers on the streets in Dhaka - Shutterstock
03:44 PM
Elon Musk's wealth triples during pandemic to $90.3bn
The SpaceX and Tesla chief executive has enjoyed a tremendous year commercially so far - AP
The stock price of Elon Musk's electric car company Tesla rose by 81 per cent since the start of the year in the midst of a pandemic that has seen world economies battered, high streets shuttered and office workers sent home.
Today, it's up 326 per cent to $1,907 since January 1, placing Musk, 49, among a wealth of billionaires that have seen their net worth soar in the past year. During lockdown, Musk's wealth has tripled to $90.3bn (£68.5bn).
He isn't the only one. Jeff Bezos has seen his wealth rise by $80bn to $195bn as Amazon became a crutch for much of Western society during lockdown. Similarly, Eric Yuan the founder of video-conferencing software Zoom added $10.4bn to his wealth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg has seen his wealth rise $21bn to $99.4bn.
One in four Indians could have been infected with the coronavirus, lab head says
At least one in four people in India may have been infected with coronavirus - a much higher number than official government figures suggest, the head of a leading private laboratory has claimed.
Dr. A. Velumani said an analysis of 270,000 antibody tests conducted by his company Thyrocare across India showed the presence of antibodies in an average of 26% of the people, indicating they had already been exposed to the virus.
"This is a much higher percentage than we had expected. The presence of antibodies is uniform across all age groups, including children," Dr Velumani said.
Thyrocare's findings are in line with government surveys done in Indian cities such as Mumbai, which showed that 57 per cent of the population in its crowded slum areas had been exposed to coronavirus.
A boy (C) watches as a health worker (L) collects a nasal swab from his mother during a COVID-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai on August 19, 2020. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP) (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images) - AFP
03:27 PM
Lockdown in Aberdeen is putting 5,000 jobs at risk, city leaders claim
More than 5,000 workers in Aberdeen are at risk of losing their jobs after Nicola Sturgeon continued local lockdown restrictions, council leaders have claimed.
The First Minister announced £1 million is being made available to help businesses affected by the lockdown, as she insisted it is not yet safe to ease restrictions in the city.
Jenny Laing and Douglas Lumsden, the co-leaders of Aberdeen City Council, said restrictions should be lifted from Saturday.
Mr Lumsden said: "The First Minister must be aware of the harm extending the lockdown is doing to both our citizens and our economy."
He claimed the area had been "disproportionately affected by Covid-19", and notifications to the Scottish Government's Pace (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) scheme shows 5,100 workers across 70 companies are now at risk of redundancy.
03:19 PM
Scrapping Public Health England risks "exodus" of medical experts ahead of second wave
Leading health experts have warned that the decision to scrap Public Health England could lead to an exodus of talented medical staff.
Speaking this morning to MPs on the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), Professor Goddard from the Royal College Physicians said: "We risk losing some very, very talented people if we're not careful."
Professor Martin of the Royal College of Pathologists said: "Our microbiologists many of whom work with PHE, our virologists, our immunologists, are all in the middle of coping with infection control changes, dealing with patients, and dealing with the fall-out of the pandemic. Many of them hold joint positions with PHE and they are very worried."
Liberal Democrat MP and chair of the APPG on Coronavirus Layla Moran said:
“The health secretary has serious questions to answer over the decision to embark on a major reorganisation of the country’s leading health agency while the country is still battling a deadly pandemic. It looks like an attempt to pass the buck for the catastrophic mistakes made by this government in responding to the coronavirus.
“Ministers must listen to the evidence from health experts and ensure these top-down changes do not lead to an exodus of highly skilled staff. We simply cannot afford to lose expertise ahead of a potential second wave.”
03:13 PM
Sweden records highest death tally in 150 years in first six months of 2020
Sweden, which has stood out among European countries for its low-key approach to fighting the coronavirus pandemic, recorded its highest tally of deaths in the first half of 2020 for 150 years, the Statistics Office said on Wednesday.
Covid-19 claimed about 4,500 lives in the period to the end of June - a number which has now risen to 5,800 - a much higher percentage of the population than in other Nordic nations, though lower than in some others including Britain and Spain.
In total, 51,405 Swedes died in the January to June period, a higher number than any year since 1869 when 55,431 died, partly as a result of a famine. The population of Sweden was around 4.1 million then, compared to 10.3 million now.
Covid-19 meant that deaths were some 10 percent higher than the average for the period over the last five years, the Statistics Office said. In April the number of deaths was almost 40% higher than average due to a surge in Covid-related fatalities.
03:07 PM
USA: The White House today pushed for Congress to take up a 'skinny' version of the $1 trillion economic relief bill for coronavirus
The White House on Wednesday pushed for Congress to take up a narrow coronavirus economic relief bill that Democrats have long rejected, while a leading Senate Democrat said real action may come soon after the Sept. 7 U.S. Labor Day holiday.
With the breakdown of talks between the White House and top congressional Democrats now in its 12th day, Senate Republicans are floating a "skinny" version of the $1 trillion bill proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for a possible vote in the Republican-led chamber.
That bill ran into immediate opposition from both Democrats and McConnell's own Republicans when he unveiled it late last month.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows called on Democrats to use Saturday's vote on U.S. Postal Service legislation in the House of Representatives as a vehicle for coronavirus relief including stimulus checks for individuals and funding for personal protective equipment and schools.
02:57 PM
UK deaths today: 15 hospital deaths reported by NHS England
NHS England has today reported a further 15 hospital deaths that are linked to Covid-19.
These deaths were recorded between August 8 and August 17, with seven deaths on the latter date.
The seven-day rolling average of hospital deaths in England now stands at 5.7 as of August 13. There have been a total of 29,480 deaths that have been attributed to Covid-19 recorded in English hospitals.
The Department for Health will announce the total number of newly recorded deaths across all settings later today. There have been no new coronavirus deaths in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
02:54 PM
Skin cancer death numbers prompt warning from Cancer Research UK
Cancer experts have issued a warning over sun safety after figures showed that there has been a 150 per cent rise in skin cancer death rates since the 1970s.
In the early 1970s, out of every 100,000 people in the UK, 1.5 would die of skin cancer, according to Cancer Research UK figures. But by 2017 this was 3.8 per 100,000 - a rise of 153 per cent.
The rise is greater among men compared to women, the charity said, and death rates among men are now three times higher than in the 1970s.
The figure has been slowly creeping up over the decades, and in 2017 there were 2,357 deaths in the UK caused by skin cancer.
Around 16,200 people are diagnosed each year with melanoma, making it the fifth most common cancer in the UK, however nine in 10 cases are caught early, Cancer Research UK said.
02:44 PM
Gavin Williamson facing sack if schools fail to reopen after coronavirus lockdown
Gavin Williamson has been warned that failure to have schools reopen smoothly after the summer holidays will mean the end of his tenure as Education Secretary, Charles Hymas and Amy Jones report.
Senior backbenchers said the reopening of the schools in the next two weeks is so critical to any economic recovery that any mishap would make his position unsustainable following a series of blunders culminating in the A-level grading fiasco.
Government sources have indicated that Boris Johnson will not sack Mr Williamson, despite unverified reports that he offered his resignation over the u-turn over A-level grading after an outcry from Tory MPs, pupils, parents and teachers.
The Telegraph revealed on Wednesday that the Prime Minister is resisting calls for an autumn reshuffle despite a mounting Tory backlash amid fears that coronavirus mishaps have left the Government being laughed at, with Mr Williamson having lost the confidence of parents and teachers.
Staff at investment firm M&G have been told to stay out of the office for the rest of the year, as doubts remain over the future trajectory of the virus.
A spokesperson for the group said:
Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of colleagues. We have now extended our existing guidance to all colleagues, confirming that they can continue to work from home until at least the end of the year.
Earlier this week, peer Schroders said flexible working practices introduced n in response to Covid-19 would become permanent. Standard Life Aberdeen has also told staff they should stay home until at least 2021.
02:30 PM
Travel insurance: First major insurer to provide cover for countries on Foreign Office no-go list
Staysure is claiming to be the first major UK insurance brand to introduce policies “specifically designed to support those who choose to travel to European destinations where the Foreign Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential trips due to Covid-19”, writes Oliver Smith.
Which means it won’t offer cover for, say, Yemen, but it will for Tenerife. Customers won’t be covered for Covid-related issues, but they will be protected in the event of other medical problems, delays, lost luggage, and all the other standard travel setbacks.
In addition, if the FCO changes its advice on a host destination once a traveller has arrived, Staysure “will pay the policyholder up to £1,000 for additional accommodation and travel expenses incurred if they need to repatriate or return to the UK earlier than planned.”
Ryan Howsam, CEO and Founder of Staysure, said: “Against a backdrop of ever-changing travel advice and widespread uncertainty, we have worked hard to bring this new cover to market as quickly as possible.
“We know that, for a multitude of reasons, people are choosing to travel to European destinations even when FCO advice advises otherwise. In doing so, they find themselves exposed to additional risk, as they are no longer insured for other eventualities.”
02:19 PM
More South Korea coronavirus infections traced back to church as cases rise
Health workers in South Korea have traced more than 600 coronavirus infections to a Seoul church which is led by a vocal opponent of the country's president, as authorities enact measures that will restrict gatherings in the metropolitan area amid fears of a second wave of cases.
The country today reported 297 new cases of the virus, its biggest daily rise since towards the start of the pandemic on March 8.
Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said Wednesday that health authorities are also seeking location data provided by cellphone carriers while trying to track thousands who participated in an anti-government protest on Saturday, which is thought to have worsened the virus' spread.
People wearing masks walk at Myeongdong shopping district, as social distancing measures were introduced to avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease - Heo Ran/Reuters Protesters confront police officers as they try to march during a rally against the government in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. - Ahn Young-joon/AP
The march was attended by members of the Sarang Jeil Church and its ultra-right pastor, Jun Kwang-hun, who has been hospitalized since Monday after testing positive.
Kwon Jun-wook, the director of South Korea's National Health Institute, said 623 cases have been linked to church members after 3,000 tests were carried out. Police are pursuing around 600 church members who have so far been out of contact.
Transmissions from the church have already spread through various places through the activities of members, including at call centres, nursery homes, and other churches.
02:05 PM
Trump China trade deal fears as WTO data shows global trade at 13-year low
The White House has said that no new trade talks have been scheduled between the US and China, Lizzy Burden writes.
Donald Trump said he had postponed a review of the countries’ Phase One deal, signed in January as a truce in their trade war, that had been scheduled for August 15 over Beijing’s handling of the pandemic.
“I postponed talks with China. You know why? I don’t want to deal with them now,” the President said. “What China did to the world was not even thinkable. They could have stopped [the virus].”
Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, said US trade representative Robert Lighthizer, remained in close contact with his Chinese counterparts about fulfilling their commitments.
Chinese imports of American agricultural and manufactured products, energy and services are well behind the pace needed to hit a first-year target increase of $77bn (£58bn) more than 2017 purchases, although imports have gained momentum as the Chinese economy has recovered from the virus.
Asked whether he would pull out of the deal altogether, Mr Trump said: “We'll see what happens.”
It came as real-time data from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) showed that global trade in goods hit the lowest level since 2007 in the second quarter of this year, registering an “historic fall”.
A storm in a teacup has blown up in Rome over the reopening of one of the capital’s most venerable institutions, Babingtons Tea Room, Nick Squires reports from the Italian capital.
The elegant Tea Room, established in 1893, sits at the bottom of the Spanish Steps, in Pizza di Spagna, one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.
To conform to social distancing and health protocols, the establishment has been allowed to place tables and chairs outside in the piazza.
“Our magic and the scent of our homemade specialities reach the wonderful Piazza di Spagna,” the management said in a Facebook post.
“We have opened a space dedicated to you, to your high tea and aperitifs … to watch the Trinità dei Monti staircase at sunset, every evening of August.”
But some locals and heritage campaigners say the outdoor seating has spoilt the elegant symmetry of the piazza.
“The historic spot has been invaded by tables which obscure the view,” said Italia Nostra, a heritage group. “Until now, Piazza di Spagna was untouched by outdoor seating.
The tables and chairs were “an affront” to the harmony of the piazza, said Viviana Di Capua, from an association of local residents.
Nathalie Naim, a local councilor, said the outdoor seating area compromised access to the Spanish Steps and called for the culture minister to intervene.
01:48 PM
Covid-19 symptom checker app to receive £2 million from Government
The Government will provide a £2 million grant to the ZOE Covid-19 Symptom Study app in order to support its ongoing collection of patient and symptom data.
The ZOE app, which is separate to the latest incarnation of the NHS test and trace app which launched on a trial basis last week, is regularly used by participants to report on their health, any symptoms that they present, and whether they have tested positive for the virus or not.
Described as the largest project of its kind anywhere in the world, the Government said that it will not have access to the base data gathered by the ZOE app, and the granular information that it gathers will regularly be fed back to policymakers to support local and national decision making.
Jonathan Wolf, the CEO of ZOE, said: "The app is an amazing demonstration of the power of large-scale science and the use of machine learning. We have funded the app ourselves so far, and with this funding we can continue the essential work of hotspot detection and research on the long-term risks of Covid."
"We are delighted that ZOE and this innovative study can play a part in keeping the UK safe."
01:37 PM
No new coronavirus deaths reported in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
No new coronavirus deaths have been reported in Scotland in the last 24 hours, but the death total has increased by one to 2,492. This is because a previous death has now been included in the figures.
No new deaths have been reported in Wales or Northern Ireland today. The Department for Health is to confirm the nationwide death toll across all settings later this afternoon
01:33 PM
Coronavirus testing: Matt Hancock pledges 'huge expansion'
Matt Hancock has said that mass testing will start to be rolled out "immediately" as he pledged a "huge expansion" of the service.
The Health Secretary said that mass testing could help cut quarantine time, and reopen other parts of the economy, as it is hoped that more widescale testing could allow mass gatherings to resume - providing a lifeline to live sport and music events.
Watch the video below for more.
01:26 PM
Masks in offices will not be made compulsory, Matt Hancock says
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that there are no plans for the UK to follow France in making face coverings mandatory at the workplace.
While face coverings are required in many indoor settings in England, they are not currently required for "employees of indoor settings".
Mr Hancock told BBC News that the UK is "constantly looking at the scientific advice" and that he believes there is currently no basis for such a move to be implemented.
"The reason is the evidence from NHS Test and Trace for where people catch the disease is that very largely they catch it from one household meeting another household, usually in one of their homes," he said.
"So it is that household transmission that is the core root of passing on this virus in this country. The amount of people who have caught it in workplaces is relatively low, from the evidence we've got."
The Government has issued a range of guidance which seeks to ensure that offices are Covid-secure for employees who are returning to their workplaces.
01:22 PM
UK economy: Why there are a few reasons to be cheerful
It is now clear that a nationwide lockdown was a blunt tool that will probably not need to be repeated, writes Tom Stevenson.
Two great temptations for investors are to extrapolate from recent events, both good and bad, and to let sentiment cloud the facts. It is why markets overshoot in both directions. We are too bullish at the top of the cycle and too bearish at the bottom.
As I sat down to write this column at the end of last week, I had just heard that my holiday to France in a couple of weeks was off. My extended family in Melbourne and New Zealand had been thrown back into strict lockdown. I had spent the week writing about the evaporation of travel group TUI’s quarterly revenues and explaining why Britain had experienced the worst decline in economic activity since records began.
Against this backdrop, I’m rather sympathetic to the many investors who look around them and scratch their heads at why stock markets have recovered almost all the ground they lost in February and March. It is hard to think of a better time to road-test my "happy list".
Fortunately, you don’t have to look too far in the financial services business to find someone willing to come up with reasons to be cheerful. Goldman Sachs’s head of global investment research, Jan Hatzius, duly stepped up to the plate.
Top of his list is the ongoing economic recovery around the world. He reckons we have already clawed back around half of the 17pc decline in global GDP that happened between January and April, mainly on the back of recovering construction and manufacturing but also the first signs of life in the more important consumer services side of the economy.
We saw this clearly in last week’s apparently catastrophic second quarter data for the UK. The 20pc fall in GDP all happened in the first month of the April to June period. Once lockdown started to ease, activity picked up quickly.
Premier League coronavirus cases spike after return to training
There has been a spike in positive coronavirus tests since Premier League players returned to training last weekend, with 14 cases recorded at just 12 clubs, Jason Burt can reveal.
The figures are unofficial – the Premier League is only expected to continue regularly publishing test results when the season resumes on September 12 – but have raised concerns among the clubs.
The Liverpool Team during a training session on August 17, 2020 in Salzburg, Austria - John Powell/Liverpool FC
A particular worry is whether players from different clubs have been mixing together on holiday – some have even, it appears, been sharing and visiting each other’s villas – with many having flocked to southern Europe during their time off. It could lead to more positive tests.
Most clubs have resumed training this week with testing taking place, from last Saturday, as it did so with Project Restart. The number of positive cases is disproportionately high. It is unclear how many are players, but they are understood to be among those who have tested positive. It is also understood that not all cases have been asymptomatic.
Czech Republic will not take part in WHO vaccine programme
The Czech Republic will not take part in the World Health Organisation's COVAX vaccine distribution initiative, and will opt instead for an EU initiative, Czech health minister Adam Vojtech has said/
"We will not join the WHO initiative for various reasons, the rules are less favourable for us than being part of the European initiative," he told reporters.
"We are going with the initiative by the European Commission, which is negotiating with producers, and the negotiations are very advanced, we will very soon take part in (an agreement) with AstraZeneca."
The EU agreed last week to buy at least 300 million doses of AstraZeneca's potential Covid-19 vaccine, in its first such advance purchase deal, with others expected to follow.
The Czech government has said it intends to initially vaccinate 3.5 million out of the country's 10.7 million population in order to cover key medical staff, its elderly population, and ill citizens.
Mass coronavirus tests will enable 'greater confidence' in results, professor says
Prof Michael Hopkins, Professor of Innovation Management at the University of Sussex, has given the following reaction to Matt Hancock's comments about the introduction of mass population testing today:
A problem we have faced is that the more testing we do, the more Covid-19 cases we find, so getting an understanding of the real underlying trend in cases is difficult.
The ONS survey and the ZOE app are tools to help us to get a more accurate view. We use these approaches to get a clear trend in cases numbers and to get an accurate map of clusters.
The expansion of the ONS survey gives us a higher definition picture of the outbreak, allowing us to see which groups in the population are most at risk. The larger numbers of people tested will give results that we can have greater confidence in. This allows smaller changes in growth trends to be interpreted with more reliability.
It's good to see the ZOE app getting government support. The benefits of this app were realised by the administrations in Scotland, Wales Northern Ireland much earlier, but England is supporting it more now too.
12:28 PM
What will university look like in the time of coronavirus?
Freshers' events will be virtual
'Bubbles' of students will live and study with people on their course
Many universities are expected to hold lectures online for the 2020-21 year
Most universities may expect students to attend smaller classes
Some courses will have more virtual content than others
Along with these measures, and from fees to social lives, the university experience is likely to be very different for this year's batch of students.
Part of All Souls College, founded in 1438, is pictured in Oxford, England - Carl Court/Getty Images Europe
Flights to the US and transatlantic 'travel corridor' called for by Gemany
Germany’s main aviation industry group has proposed the creation of limited air-travel corridors between major US and European hubs, according to Bloomberg.
The pilot project would link US airports in Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and New York City-adjacent Newark, NJ, with Frankfurt and Munich in Germany, along with other major European intercontinental hubs, executives at BDL, which represents Germany’s airports and airlines, said in an online press event Wednesday.
It would rely on Covid-19 testing, already in place in Boston and the German airports, which could quickly be installed elsewhere, according to the BDL executives, Matthias von Randow and Peter Gerber. Passengers willing to travel would have to produce a negative test for Covid-19 no older than 48 hours.
A coordinated set of measures to reopen trans-Atlantic flight would be a boon to major network carriers such as Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Air France-KLM and British Airways, as well as their US counterparts, Delta Air Lines Inc, American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. All rely on lucrative North Atlantic routes for profit.
The International Air Transport Association has warned that long-distance flying will take years to return to 2019 levels and has urged countries to unify travel rules to speed the comeback.
12:08 PM
Ofqual has 'full backing' from Government as GCSE Results Day looms
The Department for Education has given its backing to England's exams regulator Ofqual following this year's A-level and GCSE grading controversy.
A statement from the department said: "As the Government has made clear, we have full confidence in Ofqual and its leadership in their role as independent regulator and we continue to work closely with Ofqual to deliver fair results for our young people at this unprecedented time.
"The decision they took to move from moderated grades to centre assessed grades was one that we agreed with.
"Our focus remains on working with Ofqual to ensure students receive their final GCSE, AS level and A-level results this week so that they can move on to the next stage of their lives."
The Government made a U-turn this week after widespread outrage over the algorithm that was used to calculate students' results in the absence of exams due to Covid-19.
Greece Covid clampdown on holiday island of Mykonos
Greece will extend restrictions that are already in place on the popular holiday island of Mykonos and the coastal area of Chalkidiki in the north of Greece in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19.
From August 21 through to August 31, the new measures will include a complete ban on parties and festivities, compulsory mask wearing in all spaces - open and closed - and a limit of nine people at all gatherings.
Greece yesterday recorded its highest daily tally of coronavirus cases, with 269 infections logged. Its first case was detected on February 26.
People, some of the wearing face masks against the spread on the new coronavirus, gather at the narrow streets of Matogiannia on the Aegean Sea island of Mykonos, Greece, early Saturday, - Thanassis Stavrakis/AP
Restrictions that have so far been introduced by the Greek government have included limiting public gatherings, shutting down bars and restaurants from midnight and urging young people to wear masks as they return from holidays.
On Tuesday, Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias told reporters that despite rising infections, Greece continued to be in a "better situation" compared with other European countries, but noted that the increased transmission of the virus was domestic and related to groups not practising social distancing.
Based on the latest data up to Tuesday, Greece has recorded a total of 7,472 infections and 232 deaths.
11:44 AM
Scotland lockdown latest: Aberdeen lockdown extended as Nicola Sturgeon says it is 'not safe to list'
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was not yet safe to lift additional COVID-19 restrictions in Aberdeen following an outbreak there, but that the situation in the city was improving.
"While the situation is undoubtedly improving, and I don't want to lose sight of that point, we are not yet in a position to say that this outbreak is over, or completely under control," she said.
A handout picture released by the Scottish Government on August 5, 2020 shows Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon speaking during the Scottish government's daily briefing on the novel coronavirus outbreak. - AFP
She said that she is hopeful that some of the additional restrictions which have been imposed on the city could begin being lifted next Wednesday.
11:37 AM
Btec courses 'forgotten' as many students still without their grades
Btec qualifications have been “forgotten”, MPs have warned, as many students still do not have their grades for courses that were disrupted by Covid-19.
Robert Halfon, Chairman of the Education Select Committee, said the plight of Btec students had been ignored after Roger Taylor, Ofqual chairman, confirmed that while A-level and GCSE grades would be calculated on teachers' assessments the change did not apply to Btecs.
"I don't understand why Ofqual didn't mention them, I think it's a classic establishment thing where I think they almost forgot and they were an afterthought,” Mr Halfon told The Daily Telegraph.
When will a Covid-19 vaccine be ready in the UK? Latest updates from around the world
Since the virus first emerged in January around 170 vaccine candidates are now in development, with 15 already in human trials.
Oxford scientists believe they have made a breakthrough in their quest for a Covid-19 vaccine after discovering that the jab triggers a response that may offer a "double defence" against the virus.
Vaccines currently undergoing trials at Oxford University and in Germany are the most likely candidates to be ready this year, a leading expert has said. Kate Bingham, chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce, said: "I think we have a shot of getting a vaccine this year.
"There's two potential candidates, one would be the Oxford candidate and the other one is the German vaccine from BioNTech. Those are the two that if everything works could potentially be both registered and delivered this year, it is most likely to be next year, though."
The full results of the Oxford trials, published on July 20, showed that initial trials on 1,077 British adults found that the vaccine induced strong antibody and T-cell responses, which may improve further after a booster jab.
The discovery is promising because separate studies have suggested that antibodies may fade away within months while T-cells can stay in circulation for years.
Meat, seafood, dairy and baked goods, fruit and vegetable will be available in Leeds on Wednesday before the items go live for an estimated 15m Prime members in the UK before the end of the year.
The supermarket chain has an existing tie-up with Amazon. Customers will not have to pay a delivery fee if they subscribe to Amazon’s £7.99 a month Prime service.
Orders will be hand-picked from local stores by Morrisons staff and delivered to customers by Amazon in cooling bags at the back of a van.
Second coronavirus wave lockdown would risk 'really catastophic damage', Tony Blair says
A second lockdown risks "really catastrophic damage" on the UK economy in addition to the "terrifying" cost already inflicted by lockdown thus far, Tony Blair has warned.
The former prime minister told Sky News this morning: "The problem is that we are not going to be able to eradicate this disease...
"The risk is as you get into the autumn and winter, and the weather gets colder, the days get shorter, the nights get longer, if you were to have a resurgence of disease... it's very hard to see how you go back into lockdown without really catastrophic damage.
"Already the damage is pretty terrifying," he added. "But by the time you get to where that resurgence might happen if you haven't got right containment strategy you get second wave, and face with it the absolutely impossible choices between locking down... and keeping open, with the possibility of spreading the virus further."
11:07 AM
Pizza Express closures: Pandemic forces chain to shut 73 restaurants and cut 1,100 jobs
Pizza Express has confirmed it will shut 73 outlets and axe 1,100 jobs as restaurant chains buckle under the pressure of Covid-19, Hannah Uttley writes.
The chain said it had been forced to make “incredibly tough” decisions to ensure the future of the business and protect more than 9,000 jobs.
It comes after the company was put up for sale by its Chinese owners, Hony Capital, earlier this month and said it was considering the closure of 15 per cent of its 449 UK sites.
A pedestrian wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past a Pizza Express restaurant in central London on August 4, 2020, following the announcement it could close 67 of its UK restaurants with the loss of 1100 jobs. - Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP
Pizza Express has now launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) in an effort to shore up its fiances, ride out the pandemic and stay afloat.
The firm said that while most of its sites had been trading profitably before lockdown hit, earnings across the estate have been falling for the past three years.
But should those who wish to work remotely take a pay cut in order to do so? After all, they may be saving on transportation and childcare costs, and have the ability to relocate to a more affordable area.
However, remote working can mean greater costs for employees, such as shelling out for faster broadband or a kitted-out home office.
Make sure to share your own view in the comments section.
10:49 AM
Croatia: Coronavirus in Croatia rises above UK Government quarantine threshold
Analysis from Telegraph Travel of new data of the seven-day average case numbers per 100,000 shows that Croatia's figure has risen again, to 27, seven points above the 'quarantine threshold'.
Gibraltar's figure has also risen, putting its 'travel corridor' at risk, while Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal have seen cases fall.
Here are some key figures from our travel team for the period of August 13-19:
US - 103 new cases per 100,000
Spain - 74
Gibraltar - 62
Croatia - 27
France - 26
Belgium - 19
Portugal - 15
Greece - 15
Ireland - 14
UK - 11
Turkey - 10
Italy - 6
10:42 AM
Mali president resigns and forced to dissolve government after protests and coronavirus spread
Mali’s president was forced to dissolve the country’s parliament and government late on Tuesday evening after mutinous soldiers stormed through the capital Bamako and arrested the president, his prime minister and many other top officials at gunpoint.
A military junta called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) is now in command of the beleaguered West African nation, which is already buckling under the strain of jihadist bombs and machete-wielding ethnic militias.
Original description: Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita appears on state television to announce his resignation late Tuesday Aug. 18 - ORTM TV
In a short address on national television last night, President Ibrahim Boubakar Keïta resigned wearing a blue surgical mask.
Mali has to date recorded 2,640 coronavirus cases and 125 deaths, with explosions of cases in the regions of Timbuktu, Mopti and Koulikoro all seeing rises in caseloads in recent weeks. Despite this, air borders were reopened last month, and in-person exams are scheduled for September.
France quarantine rules for UK force Brittany to scrap sailings in 'terrible summer season'
Brittany Ferries has said the French quarantine measures has forced it to make changes to its schedule that could affect up to 50,000 travellers.
The line said as many as 35,000 passengers either cancelled or delayed their plans with the company last weekend, when the new quarantine rules came into place, and demand for this autumn has proven"extremely weak".
Brittany Ferries undated handout photo of their ship, Pont-Aven. - Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries said its schedule changes will take effect at the end August. Christophe Mathieu, director general of Brittany Ferries, said:
We warned over the weekend that schedule changes were likely, as quarantine measures have led to a significant drop in demand for our services.
This is not something we want to do. However, in the context of a terrible summer season we have no choice but to consolidate sailings that, by virtue of lack of passenger numbers, are uneconomic to run.
These extraordinary decisions are regrettable and we apologise in advance to all those whose travel plans will be disrupted.
10:22 AM
Rare coronavirus children syndrome 'causes profound immune system changes'
A newly identified disease that occurs in children and is linked to Covid-19 causes significant changes in the immune system, scientists have said.
Researchers found that young patients with acute paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with Sars-CoV-2 infection (PIMS-TS) have raised levels of molecules, called cytokines, and reduced levels of infection-fighting white blood cells, called lymphocytes.
While cytokines help the immune system suppress infection, overproduction of these molecules can cause severe inflammation, which can harm the patient.
Symptoms of PIMS-TS include a rash, fever and abdominal pain. It causes severe inflammation in blood vessels, which can lead to heart damage.
The scientists analysed blood samples from 25 children who had PIMS-TS and compared them with samples from healthy children.
They found that young patients with PIMS-TS have raised levels of cytokines and reduced levels of lymphocytes, which gradually returned to normal once the children had recovered.
While initial reports suggested the condition may be similar to another childhood condition known as Kawasaki disease, the researchers said PIMS-TS appears to be distinct from the paediatric inflammatory syndrome.
10:18 AM
UK inflation rate rises to one per cent as pent-up demand pushes up prices
The end of lockdown combined with the heatwave sent the cost of haircuts, camping kit and ice creams soaring in July, even as hotels, flights and cinema tickets were on offer at discount prices, writes Tim Wallace.
Petrol prices crept back up to 111p a litre, the Office for National Statistics said – the highest level since lockdown struck and oil prices collapsed.
The hot spell also pushed up the price of garden furniture by 7.5pc compared with the same month last year, with the cost of other home improvements also on the up as customers who had spent months largely stuck indoors set about smartening up their properties.
People queue outside a B&Q store in Greenwich, in London on May 3, 2020, as the DIY giant opens all their stores ahead of a general easing in the nationwide lockdown due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. - Glyn Kirk/AFP
Even home appliances, which have been getting cheaper almost constantly since the start of 2019, registered a rise in prices.
At the same time the usual summer sales were smaller than last year, so the cost of clothes for women and children edged up, while accessories are more than 15pc more expensive than they were a year ago.
Dollar to pound rate: Value of the pound erases 2020 losses as dollar keeps sliding
The pound erased its losses against the dollar for the year on Wednesday as the US currency continues to weaken, Louis Ashworth reports.
Sterling rose as high as $1.3267 on a fifth day of gains, lifting it above its January level for the first time.
It caps off a turnaround from the 35-year low reached in March and reflects the dollar’s continued fall as investors embrace greater risk and doubts over the America’s handling of coronavirus intensify.
September’s Federal Reserve meeting will be a key inflection point, with further measures to control inflation and bond yields likely to increase pressure on the dollar.
Bloomberg’s dollar spot index – a measure of the greenback’s performance against a basket of other currencies – hit a two-year low on Tuesday.
10:00 AM
Dubai alcohol rules eased as coronavirus lockdown worsens depression
Dubai again has loosened laws governing alcohol sales and possession of liquor as the sheikhdom tries to claw its way out of an economic depression worsened by the coronavirus pandemic.
Associated Press has more here:
The outbreak of the virus exacerbated the already-gathering economic storm engulfing the emirate, which has seen mass layoffs thin the ranks of its foreign workforce and empty homes even amid slight signs of recovery. Even now, experts warn the sheikhdom's crucial real-estate market is on track to hit record lows seen in the 2009 Great Recession.
"It's been a challenging year and there's no hiding from that for any business _ particularly those in the hospitality industry," Mike Glen, managing director for the United Arab Emirates and Oman for alcohol distributor Maritime and Mercantile International, told The Associated Press in an emailed statement.
Alcohol sales have long served as a major barometer of the economy of Dubai, a top travel destination in the UAE, home to the long-haul carrier Emirates. Ice-cold bottles of beer tempt tourists on hotel beaches, while decadent Champagne-soaked brunches draw well-to-do crowds of expatriate residents.
The sales also serve as a major tax revenue source for Dubai's Al Maktoum ruling family.
09:55 AM
Alan Cochrane: 'Nicola Sturgeon coronavirus Scotland adviser should choose words carefully'
There can't be too many academics never mind those aged 36 with a list of qualifications and achievements - anywhere in the world - as impressive as those of Devi Sridhar, writes Alan Cochrane.
Professor of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University, a Rhodes Scholar with an MPhil and DPhil from Oxford as well as countless other honours, Scotland's scientific/ medical community is fortunate to have this lady in its midst.
However, what she doesn't list among her qualifications is any kind of grade pass in politics - especially Scottish politics.
And I'm afraid that the acute lack of expertise in this seems to continually land the learned professor in trouble.
This weekend she's had an article published in the New York Times in which she said that the different measures adopted in different parts of the UK in dealing with the pandemic meant that Scotland faced "a stream of incoming infection from England and Wales."
These are fractious times politically and the professor's last suggestion that English visitors might be quarantined in Scotland led to several SNP demonstrators staging a stupid anti-English stunt at the border after it was backed by Nicola Sturgeon.
Mass coronavirus testing calls reiterated by Tony Blair
Former prime minister Tony Blair has reiterated his calls for mass-testing to be rolled out across the UK in combating coronavirus.
Speaking on Sky News, Mr Blair said:
There's really two things that lie behind the desire for mass-testing. Number one - the majority of people who get Covid-19 are asymptomatic, so in other words they suffer mild or no symptoms.
And therefore if you are only testing the people with symptoms, you're not capturing a large number of people who despite being asymptomatic can nonetheless spread the disease. So that's the first point.
The second point is that it's one thing for the Government to permit people to do certain activities but the question is how do you build the confidence in the public that they actually do those things?.
And if you want to reopen schools, universities, workplaces, if you want international travel to function again, the only way I think you can do that is by doing testing at scale and that's why we've got to move to this.
His comments came after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock pledged mass testing of the population in the hope of being able to "allow some of the freedoms back".
09:40 AM
Manchester lockdown: 200 people attend illegal gathering
Greater Manchester Police has released helicopter footage of an illegal gathering which approximately 200 people attended.
A fixed penalty notice was issued to the tenant and Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court has made a three month closure order – prohibiting access to the premises by anyone except the property owner(s) and tenant(s).
Councillor Nigel Murphy, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "This was a particularly flagrant breach of Covid-19 restrictions, which are in place to protect everyone in our communities and must be respected."
09:20 AM
Work from home San Francisco exodus in full effect as tech workers escape the office
Since coronavirus has shut down meetings, offices and cocktail parties in San Francisco, the hottest topic of conversation in tech’s capital city has been leaving. Margi Murphy, James Ticomb and Olivia Rudgard have the story on the tech workers waving goodbye to Silicon Valley - at least for now.
Tech companies have embraced remote working, finding that they can largely operate without offices. Facebook, Google and Uber have all told staff they can work from home until at least July 2021. Twitter has said remote working will be its new normal. San Francisco’s financial quarter is a ghost town and the main campuses around the city are all shut.
Workers at these companies are now finding that a software engineer’s salary goes a lot further outside San Francisco, which vies with Manhattan for the title of the most expensive major city in the US. Austen Allred, the chief executive of the coding bootcamp Lambda School, said last week that his family moved to a bigger house in the Utah mountains when the pandemic hit, a decision that had saved him $23,000 so far.
The tremendous riches created by the tech boom of the last decade has made the city, which sits on the tip of a peninsula enveloped by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, one of the world’s priciest places to live. Hilly topography, a lack of space, and a rush of well-paid tech jobs led house prices to climb 50 per cent in the last decade.
San Francisco is already reeling from a slump in tourism, its famous cable cars are put in storage until a vaccine is ready. Losing a significant proportion of tech workers could be more damaging in the long run, with a knock-on effect on the rest of the local economy. More than 40 per cent of jobs in the accommodation and food service industry have been lost, compared to less than 10 per cent in finance, IT and professional services, where wages are three to five times higher.
San Francisco's California Street may be iconic, but it has been eerily empty since the rise of work-from-home policies. - bluejayphoto
09:09 AM
UK coronavirus testing planned for the population, Matt Hancock confirms
The Government aims to introduce population-wide testing for coronavirus, the Health Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning.
Following calls for a mass-testing regime, Matt Hancock said ministers are "working as fast as we can" to achieve the "moonshot" of mass testing so restrictions can be eased.
Mr Hancock said:
This is a really, really important drive that we have across Government to bring in mass testing, population-wide testing.
The new technologies for testing that are coming on stream now are incredibly important. At the moment you have to send off a test to a laboratory and get it back and all the logistics of that takes time, it's also quite expensive.
We're testing some of these right now in Porton Down, in our scientific labs, and the mass testing, population testing, where we make it the norm that people get tested regularly, allowing us therefore to allow some of the freedoms back, is a huge project in Government right now with enormous support.
Mr Hancock said that testing would be "ramped up over the remainder of the year", but did not put a deadline on when this would be.
He said that it would aim to "reopen all sorts of things to reduce the burden of the quarantine arrangements", amid suggestions that routine mass testing could see a return of packed sports stadiums and live music events, with other parts of society able to operate in a more safe manner.
09:00 AM
New Zealand Covid cases increase sees troops deployed to guard quarantine centres
More than 500 troops will be deployed to guard quarantine centres in New Zealand as Jacinda Ardern tries to stamp out the coronavirus resurgence, reports Verity Bowman.
New Zealand said it would increase the number of defence personnel at its quarantine facilities and border to beat any further spread of Covid-19, as it reported five new cases in the community on Wednesday.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces a new date for national elections, during a news conference in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, Aug. 17, 2020 - Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald
Around 500 more defence personnel will be deployed, taking the total defence force personnel supporting the Covid-19 response to around 1,200.
This represents the largest military contingent since New Zealand sent peacekeepers to Timor-Leste during unrest there in the early 2000s, the government said in a statement.
08:46 AM
GCSE grades 2020: GCSE results day confirmed as Blunkett calls for 'Nightingale' sixth form drive
Gavin Williamson was on Tuesday night urged to draw up emergency plans to deal with a surge in pupils meeting entry requirements for sixth forms as a result of the Government’s U-turn on results, my colleague Harry Yorke reports.
As the Department for Education finally confirmed results would be available on Thursday, Lord Blunkett said that an “enormous expansion” was needed to prevent students being left on the scrapheap due to a lack of Key Stage 5 places or alternative options.
Lord Blunkett said that plans should be put in place for an “enormous expansion” in light of the fact that apprenticeships will be in short supply amid the coronavirus.
While pupils who do not make the grade for A-levels are usually able to enroll at further education (FE) colleges or take up apprenticeships and traineeships, the Covid-19 pandemic has left many businesses unable to provide opportunities for school leavers.
Wuhan water park pool party sees thousands gather amid Covid-19 pandemic
Wuhan's Maya Beach Water Park has started seeing large numbers of people attending after it began a free ticket giveaway in July.
The park reopened on June 25 following the national lifting of China's lockdown. Once the epicentre of the outbreak, Wuhan lifted its own quarantine measures in April after a stringent 76-day lockdown.
Footage taken by an attendee on August 3 shows dense crowds together in the pool, with electronic music playing. But in spite of the crowds, entry requirements are strict.
Attendees must reserve tickets online up to a week in advance with national ID numbers, and when they arrive they must present their "health code" generated from a mobile app that tracks movements.
08:33 AM
Quarantine rules: Greece and Croatia travel advice decision expected tomorrow
Greece and Croatia both recorded their second highest number of daily coronavirus infections yesterday, adding to fears that returning Britons could be subject to new quarantine restrictions.
Finland has today added Greece to a list of countries to which only essential travel will be permitted from next week onwards.
A decision is expected to be made by the British Government tomorrow, with any new prospective measures being introduced on Saturday morning, as with France last weekend.
Here is the latest coronavirus data for Croatia and Greece:
08:23 AM
Coronavirus vaccine: Australia orders 25 million dose of Oxford vaccine candidate on 'day of hope'
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that today is "a day of hope" following the news that the country has ordered 25 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Oxford University in partnership with AstraZeneca.
Mr Morrison promised to make the vaccine "as mandatory as you can" during an interview with Melbourne's 3AW radio station before he toured AstraZeneca's laboratory in Sydney.
"Today is a day of hope and Australia needs hope, the world needs hope, when it comes to this coronavirus," he told reporters.
"And should we be in a position for the trials to be successful, we would hope that this would be made available early next year. If it can be done sooner than that, great."
Oldham lockdown requires 'localised approach' and increased Covid testing, Health Secretary says
The recent rise in coronavirus cases in Oldham will require “localised measures”, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast.
Refuting concerns that people have “stopped listening” to Government guidance after being shown footage from a party of more than 100 people in Greater Manchester, which is under broad regional measures, Mr Hancock said that more testing in the area would be crucial.
“We’re putting more testing into places like Oldham which have measures in place,” he said. “The example of Leicester is an illustrative one - we took this local lockdown approach and I’m really pleased the people of Leicester responded positively. Then places like Oldham, we have to take the same localised approach working very closely with the local council.
Shopkeepers prepare to open a grocery shop in Oldham town centre on August 13, 2020 in Oldham, England. - Anthony Devlin/Getty Images Europe
“We have to make sure that we get both the messages to the public and the right rules in place, like the testing resources that we’re talking about to get a grip on it in all the areas where there’s an outbreak, including Oldham.”
It comes after Labour councillor Sean Fielding, the leader of Oldham Council, warned that a lockdown would be both "premature" and “catastrophic” in terms of already rising youth unemployment.
07:55 AM
5G phones and the ‘deep state’: Why coronavirus conspiracies are gaining ground
High-profile figures including the boxer Amir Khan, actor John Cusack and numerous basketball players have all shared coronavirus conspiracies in recent months, including the belief that 5G internet is somehow responsible for Covid-19. This led to multiple phone towers being vandalised in the UK.
Conspiracy theories are nothing new in many concerns of Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere on the internet. However researchers are now concerned that such thinking is becoming more mainstream, and could go on to have sinister public health consequences.
Social psychology professor Karen Douglas, of the University of Kent, said conspiracies normally thrive in times of crisis, including the current pandemic, when people's psychological needs are frustrated.
“During times of crisis and when difficult decisions need to be made based on often conflicting pieces of information, these psychological needs are particularly threatened, and people are looking for ways to deal with the challenges,” she said.
Councils need extra £2 billion cash injection after Covid hits funding, says IFS
Councils in the UK will require at least £2 billion more to avoid deep cuts to social care and other key services after the pandemic slashed income and increased costs, according to a new report.
Councils are expecting an extra £4.4 billion in service costs as a result of Covid-19 with social care accounting for £1.8 billion of the increased bill, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said.
This comes on top of £2.8 billion in lost revenue during the course of the pandemic so far. The extra £5.2 billion that the Government has promised councils will still leave a shortfall of at least £2 billion, the report said, with five councils at risk of bankruptcy if they do not receive additional funds.
"The people who have worked in Public Health England have done unbelievable work in very difficult circumstances," he said.
"But one of the things I’ve learned is having several different organisations responsible for different parts of the pandemic response, that all needs to be brought together. That’s why we’re making the change now."
07:15 AM
Health Secretary defends head of new National Institute for Health Protection
Asked if Tory peer Dido Harding is qualified for the role, Matt Hancock told BBC News: "Absolutely, she's simply the best person who could be doing this job now.
She has enormous experience both in the private sector running very large organisations and this is a very large organisation now with a budget of over £10 billion.
"Also in the NHS she's been the chair of NHS Improvement for the last over three years, she's been expanding and building that testing capacity, the test and trace system that is so effective in finding people now and asking them to self-isolate, so we're very lucky to have her giving this public service at this critical time."
07:10 AM
Brits unlikely to be ordered to wear face coverings at work
Britain is unlikely to follow France in ordering people to wear face coverings at work because its test and trace scheme shows most people catch Covid-19 in house-to-house transmission, said Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
When asked if Britain would impose masks at work places as in France, he said: "We are not currently considering doing that.
"The reason is that the evidence from NHS Test and Trace for where people catch the disease is that, very largely, they catch it from one household meeting another household, usually in one of their homes.
"The amount of people who have caught it in work places is relatively low we think from the evidence that we have got."
07:03 AM
Public health shake up brings 'uncertainty'
Jeanelle de Gruchy, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH), said any reorganisation of public health organisations risked bringing "uncertainty" into the system.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We know that any reorganisation does bring uncertainty into the system.
"It does risk distracting efforts, it throws different roles, functions, leadership into some uncertainty so that's really of concern."
06:47 AM
Ministers working with Heathrow to reduce quarantine period
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News: "We're working with Heathrow and with other airports on this project.
"The challenge is because the virus can incubate inside your body without coming forward and without therefore a test being positive even if you've got it. The challenge is how to do that testing in a way that we can have confidence enough in to release the quarantine.
"But absolutely it's a project we're working with Heathrow on because clearly I understand the impact of quarantine in so many people's lives it's not something anybody would want to do so I hope this project can bear fruit."
06:40 AM
Health Secretary defends timing of axing Public Health England for National Institute for Health Protection
Matt Hancock told Sky News: "My responsibility is to make sure that the pandemic response is the best it possibly can be and that's why I've taken this decision now.
"Actually one of the lessons from the crisis I think for me is that if something is the right thing to do then delaying doing it is the wrong thing.
"We've now got Public Health England, NHS Test and Trace, we've got a new Joint Biosecurity Centre, working separately so in order to keep people safe, in order to have the very best response, we need to bring these organisations together now.
"I hope this gives a long-term future for all those working on the pandemic response."
06:37 AM
Test & Trace unlikely to reduce R number below one, Imperial study finds
Quick and effective testing and tracing could reduce the reproduction number (R number) by up to 26%, but testing alone is unlikely to bring it below one at current levels of immunity, Imperial College London researchers have warned.
Therefore other interventions such as continuing physical distancing will be needed, they say.
The R number represents how many people someone infected with Covid-19 is likely to go on to infect.
In the study, researchers from Imperial's Covid-19 Response Team looked at the potential impact of different testing and isolation strategies on transmission of the coronavirus.
They found that if 80% of cases and contacts are identified and there is immediate testing following symptom onset and quarantine of contacts within 24 hours, then the R number could potentially be reduced by up to 26%.
06:28 AM
South Korea closes churches after spike in new cases
South Korea has re-imposed strict social distancing measures in its capital region after a surge in Covid-19 cases linked to mass church meetings provoked fears that the country could be heading for its worst outbreak of the pandemic.
In a nationally televised announcement on Tuesday, Chung Sye-kyun, the prime minister, announced that from Wednesday, nightclubs, karaoke rooms, buffet restaurants and computer gaming cafes will be shut, while churches will be required to switch to online worship services. Indoor gatherings of more than 50 people will be banned.
Mr Chung said the partial lockdown was unavoidable in the Seoul metropolitan area, home to around half of the country’s 51 million people, in order to stop the virus spreading nationwide.
Oldham council leader warns local lockdown would be 'catastrophic'
Sean Fielding, the Labour councillor, has warned that a local lockdown in the town would be "really catastrophic" as he urged ministers not to impose one.
He said that the "raw numbers" may suggest the town is similar to Leicester at the point it was put into local lockdown.
"However we're strongly making the case up here in Oldham that would not be the right solution for the wave of the pandemic that we're seeing in Oldham," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"We already have youth unemployment of 9.5% and 15% of unemployment generally so it would be really, really catastrophic for businesses and for the working age population in Oldham if there were to be a local lockdown."
06:19 AM
Coronavirus tests for passengers set to replace blanket quarantine measures
Testing travellers for coronavirus is set to replace the imposition of blanket quarantines under plans to be discussed by Cabinet ministers next week, with the news coming as Heathrow unveiled a purpose-built testing centre.
Ministers are due to meet on Monday to consider options including testing passengers between five and 10 days after their arrival to enable them to shorten their 14-day self-isolation if the results are negative.
Airports, airline bosses and travel industry chiefs have warned that testing is the only way to open up travel to and from "high-risk" countries such as the US and end uncertainty for holidaymakers hit by quarantines reimposed at short notice on countries including France and Spain.
Police officers wait to be tested for Covid-19 while maintaining social distancing at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in South Korea.
Seoul, South Korea - Ahn Young-joon/AP
05:41 AM
Coronavirus infection survey to increase testing
The coronavirus infection survey will increase from regularly testing 28,000 people per fortnight in England to 150,000 by October, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey ultimately aims to increase to include 400,000 individuals.
"We are developing the capacity to test for coronavirus on an unprecedented scale and undertaking one of the biggest expansions of surveillance testing we have ever seen," said Mr Hancock.
"This ONS survey will be a crucial part of this work - improving our understanding of the rate of infection in the population and how many people have antibodies."
04:38 AM
India records deadliest day
India reported 1,092 new fatalities on Wednesday, its highest single-day total.
The country has the fourth-most deaths in the world and the third-most cases, with over 2.7 million - including more than 64,000 new infections reported on Wednesday.
The actual numbers, like elsewhere in the world, are thought to be far higher due to limited testing.
Four of India's 28 states now account for 63 per cent of total fatalities and 54.6 per cent of the caseload. The western state of Maharashtra and the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are the country's worst-hit regions.
Indian migrant workers wait in a queue to register for COVID-19 Rapid Antigen detection testing as they arrive in Delhi in search of work - RAJAT GUPTA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
04:22 AM
Baby boom expected as result of pandemic
Millions of women and girls globally have lost access to contraceptives and abortion services because of the pandemic.
Across 37 countries, nearly 2 million fewer women received services between January and June than in the same period last year, Marie Stopes International says in a new report - 1.3 million in India alone. The organisation expects 900,000 unintended pregnancies worldwide as a result, along with 1.5 million unsafe abortions and more than 3,000 maternal deaths.
Those numbers "will likely be greatly amplified" if services falter elsewhere in Latin America, Africa and Asia, Marie Stopes' director of global evidence, Kathryn Church, has said.
The World Health Organisation this month said two-thirds of 103 countries surveyed between mid-May and early July reported disruptions to family planning and contraception services. The UN Population Fund warns of up to 7 million unintended pregnancies worldwide.
Marks & Spencer has bet the house on a digital revolution after it laid off 7,000 workers, freeing up vital cash to help build an online retail empire.
The embattled chain slashed jobs across shop floors to save an estimated £100m a year, amid a scramble to boost internet sales as part of the fight to revive its fortunes.
Insiders have said they do not want the company to return to the “old system” pre-coronavirus, where only a fraction of the firm's clothes were sold over the internet and none of its food. Instead, they are seeking radical upheaval as part of a programme dubbed Never the Same Again.
Bosses warned that there has been a lasting change in shoppers’ behaviour since the pandemic hit, with droves of consumers abandoning the high street as fears of Covid linger and internet buying becomes a habit after lockdown.
Marks & Spencer is hoping that selling more online will assist its recovery - GETTY IMAGES
South Korea reported the highest daily rise in cases since early March on Wednesday as an outbreak in the capital Seoul appeared to intensify.
The 297 new infections mark the sixth straight day of triple-digit increases in a country that has managed to blunt several previous outbreaks, bringing South Korea's total to 16,058 infections with 306 deaths, health officials said.
Most of the new cases appeared in Seoul and the surrounding areas, raising concerns of a broader outbreak in a metropolitan area of more than 25 million people that has only seen small clusters so far.
A health official sprays disinfectant on the street near the Sarang Jeil Church, a new coronavirus infection cluster, in Seoul - AFP
01:55 AM
Australia secures vaccine deal
A fresh outbreak of infections in Australia's coronavirus hot zone of Victoria appeared to have eased on Wednesday, as the country signed a deal to secure a potential vaccine that it intends to roll out free of cost to its citizens.
Australia has signed a deal with British drugmaker AstraZeneca to produce and distribute enough doses of a potential vaccine for its population of 25 million, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said late on Tuesday.
All Australians will be offered doses but a medical panel will determine the priority list of vaccine recipients, Health Minister Greg Hunt said.
"Naturally you would be focusing on the most vulnerable, the elderly, health workers, people with disabilities in terms of the speed of roll out, but I think there would be widespread uptake in Australia," Mr Hunt told Sky News on Wednesday.
AstraZeneca last month said good data was coming in so far on its vaccine, already in large-scale human trials and widely seen as the front-runner in the race.
The vaccine, called AZD1222, was developed by Britain's University of Oxford and licensed to AstraZeneca.
Victoria reported 216 new daily cases in the last 24 hours compared with 222 a day earlier. It reported 12 deaths compared with 17 on Tuesday.
Argentina confirmed 6,840 new cases and 172 new deaths on Tuesday, taking it simultaneously over the 300,000 case and 6,000 death threshold.
Mexico's health ministry reported on Tuesday 5,506 new cases and 751 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 531,239 cases and 57,774 deaths.
Indigenous cultures in the Caribbean, struggling as their tourism-dependent economies are ravaged by the pandemic, are returning to traditional farming and fishing roots for their livelihoods, local experts said on Tuesday.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Caracas on Tuesday as his country delivered medical equipment to help crisis-stricken Venezuela deal with the pandemic.
Brazil has now registered 3,407,354 cases of the virus while the official death toll has risen to 109,888, according to ministry data.
Australia's second most populous state of Victoria on Wednesday said 12 people had died from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours and reported 216 new cases.
Doctor Luciana Haddad poses for a picture near a graffiti made in tribute to health workers at Hospital das Clinicas in Sao Paulo, Brazil - Reuters
01:19 AM
Airport tests to replace quarantine measures
Testing travellers for coronavirus is set to replace the imposition of blanket quarantines under plans to be discussed by Cabinet ministers next week, with the news coming as Heathrow unveiled a purpose-built testing centre.
Ministers are due to meet on Monday to consider options including testing passengers between five and 10 days after their arrival to enable them to shorten their 14-day self-isolation if the results are negative.
On Tuesday, Heathrow announced that an airside Covid-19 testing centre in Terminal Two was ready to swab its first passengers, for £150 a time, once the Government gives the green light to a trial. It plans a second centre in Terminal Five next month.
Airports, airline bosses and travel industry chiefs have warned that testing is the only way to open up travel to and from "high-risk" countries such as the US and end uncertainty for holidaymakers hit by quarantines reimposed at short notice on countries including France and Spain.
Heathrow announced an airside Covid-19 testing centre in Terminal Two, which will charge passengers £150 a test - EPA
11:54 PM
US Postal Service cuts suspended over mail-in voting anger
The US postmaster general on Tuesday night said he was suspending controversial cuts until after the presidential election following allegations from Democrats that the vote was being manipulated in favour of Donald Trump.
Louis DeJoy, who has donated more than $2 million to Mr Trump and the Republican party since 2016, had been introducing reductions in service and overtime, and removing mail sorting machines and collection boxes, as he sought to overhaul the loss-making Postal Service .
It had caused a political firestorm with postal unions across the country warning they would be unable to cope with an expected surge in mail-in voting due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Homeless Britons get smartphones to access support
Several thousand homeless people will be given smartphones and laptops to help them stay informed, connected and access support during the coronavirus outbreak.
A two-year partnership, between Tesco Mobile and the homelessness charity Crisis, will see homeless people given £700,000 worth of phones, devices and internet data.
In the first year, they aim to provide 2,500 homeless people with phones, laptops and tablets, while the public are being urged to hand in their old smartphones or donate to help connect more people.
This will make it easier for them to look into housing options, keep in touch with friends and family and access information, services and support.
It will also help homeless people stay aware of public health guidance and updates as the country adapts to the threat of coronavirus.
£700,000 worth of phones will be handed out by charities - PA
11:07 PM
Experts fear winter resurgence of coronavirus
There is growing evidence that seasonal factors could influence the evolution of the current Covid‐19 pandemic, with experts predicting human-to-human transmission of the virus will become more widespread in winter.
The science comes from climatic, behavioural, medical and historic sources and, unfortunately, most point to the same conclusion: we face a long hard winter ahead.
The latest study, published on Tuesday in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases journal, found an association between low relative humidity and an increase in community transmission of Sars-CoV-2 in the Greater Sydney area during the early stages of the pandemic. It estimated that for every one per cent drop in relative humidity, confirmed Covid-19 cases increased by seven to eight per cent.
There is growing evidence that seasonal factors could influence the evolution of the current Covid‐19 pandemic, with experts predicting human-to-human transmission of the virus will become more widespread in winter
Global daily coronavirus fatalities are nearing levels last seen in April in what experts have deemed a “wake up call” as the pandemic continues to circle the world
Universities have told the Government that they will need more money if they are to take more students this year after the A-levels U-turn
Testing travellers for coronavirus is set to replace the imposition of blanket quarantines under plans to be discussed by Cabinet ministers next week, with the news coming as Heathrow unveiled a purpose-built testing centre
Female leaders locked down earlier and suffered half as many Covid-19 deaths compared to male leaders, a new study has revealed
Thousands of jobs could be lost because shielding employees do not feel safe to return to their workplaces, charities warned as they urged Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, to extend the furlough scheme
The Queen might have dined on some of the finest food in the world - but she was still partial to the occasional takeaway, and would send a footman to collect it
A driver who had been parking in a neighbour's space for three years was left fuming after his car was towed away - and the whole thing was caught on camera.
Scotty Kilmer, who has been a mechanic for over 50 years, has shared a simple tip that could help drivers to prolong the life of their vehicle's engine - and it's all to do with a common feature
Harper Beckham stunned this weekend as she celebrated her Spice Girl mum Victoria's 50th birthday, looking all grown up as she donned a satin gown for the occasion
Tensions between foreign residents and the locals in Tenerife have been running high in the past few months, with a group of activists on hunger strike and a huge 120,000-strong protest in the capital of Santa Cruz on Saturday
Inside a new five part series, ''The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor' which airs on ITVX today, it's claimed that a few senior royals seem to be giggling in amusement during the ceremony.
Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden isn't afraid to show off her enviable figure, and she recently did just that in an array of skimpy bikinis aboard a yacht
Christian Horner's wife Geri made a solo appearance at her Spice Girls co-star Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday party wearing a gorgeous pearl-encrusted Rebecca Vallance wedding dress.
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