Good evening. Here are some of the day's top stories.
A second national lockdown could be imposed, senior Government advisers have warned, as the upper limit of the R rate pushed over one for the first time since restrictions were lifted.
Ministers extended the temporary eviction ban by four weeks on Friday after warnings that a "wave of homelessness" would lead to a spike in coronavirus infections.
Spain’s Government has ordered the closure of the country’s brothels after several outbreaks of Covid-19 linked to such establishments which have proved difficult for health authorities to trace.
France has recorded more than 4,500 new cases over the past 24 hours, while the total number of cases counted in Spain grew by more than 8,000.
Italy has registered 947 new infections today, the biggest daily case rise since May 14, when the country was still in lockdown.
Lebanon has imposed a partial lockdown for two weeks starting today in an effort to counter Covid-19 infections which have spiralled since the catastrophic explosion at Beirut port.
Grant Shapps says quarantine is 'clunky' as Government mulls tests for travellers plan
Quarantine is "clunky", Grant Shapps admitted as he revealed the Government is considering a double test for travellers that could reduce self-isolation in the UK to five days.
Transport Secretary Mr Shapps admitted quarantine was a blunt instrument to combat the spread of coronavirus as British holidaymakers raced against time to return to the UK from Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago, where quarantine was reimposed from 4am on Saturday.
Instead, he said he wanted to see testing systems in place that could enable travellers from "red list" countries to sidestep the full 14-day quarantine if they tested negative for coronavirus.
Mr Shapps signalled that he favoured "double testing", where a traveller is swabbed and tested either before arrival or on arrival in the UK and then tested a second time five or eight days later. If negative, they are freed from quarantine.
Scotland's Highlands 'overwhelmed' by rush of staycation tourists
Remote communities in the Scottish Highlands and their public facilities have been overwhelmed by a rush of tourists thanks to "complete incompetence" by SNP ministers, it has been claimed.
As more tourists opted for staycations thanks to the risk of being forced to quarantine if they went abroad, businesses across the north of Scotland have reported an influx of visitors from other parts of the UK.
Accommodation is fully booked for weeks in parts of the region and facilities such as toilets remain closed, with trowels being left in laybys on the popular North Coast 500 route to help holidaymakers go to the toilet.
Recent visitors to Ben Nevis compared it to a rush hour trip on the London Underground and hoteliers have described having to turn families away due to a lack of space, leaving them to sleep in their cars.
Row breaks out in Tory party over whether tax rises needed to plug hole in public finances
A Tory row has broken out over whether tax rises are needed to plug the huge gaps in the public finances as UK debt rose above £2 trillion for the first time.
Boris Johnson is resisting tax rises to restore public finances as it is claimed the Treasury is piling pressure on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to claw back some of the billions spent propping up the economy and funding manifesto pledges as he prepares for the Autumn statement.
Some Tories believe that spending cuts alone will not be sufficient to plug the hole and that tax rises will be needed in the medium term, while others disagree and are pushing instead for tax cuts to help revive the economy.
As figures on Friday showed the UK heading for a £350 billion deficit from the pandemic rescue package, Mr Sunak warned that the Government faced “difficult decisions.”
World Health Organization: Coronavirus stabilising in Brazil
The coronavirus pandemic is stabilising in Brazil and any reversal of its rampant spread in the country would be "a success for the world", the WHO said today.
The World Health Organization's emergencies director Dr Michael Ryan told a virtual press conference that there was a "clear downward trend in many parts of Brazil".
Brazil has the world's second-highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths after the United States.
The country has recorded nearly 6,900 deaths and more than 290,000 cases in the last seven days, according to the UN health agency.
"The acceleration of cases has stabilised but there's still a very high number of cases and a large number of deaths," Ryan told reporters.
"Credit to the health workers and the communities in Brazil for taking the necessary actions to stabilise the situation. We're in that difficult period in Brazil where it looks like things could be getting better.
"The question is: is this a lull, can this be continued and can we see that downward trend?"
09:18 PM
National lockdown could be necessary if UK follows trajectory of Spain
A second national lockdown could be imposed, senior Government advisers have warned, as the upper limit of the R rate pushed over one for the first time since restrictions were lifted.
The Prime Minister effectively ruled out another nationwide shutdown, stating that the option was now akin to a “nuclear deterrent”, in an interview with The Telegraph last month.
However, today the Sage advisory group said Britain’s reproduction number was now between 0.9 and 1.1, with senior sources warning “more nationwide measures” may be needed.
Here are some key coronavirus updates from across the world today:
The World Health Organization says it hopes the planet will be rid of the coronavirus pandemic in less than two years - faster than it took for the Spanish flu.
Lebanon's new two-week stay-at-home order has come into force after record numbers of cases piled pressure on health services that are also struggling to cope with thousands injured by a deadly August 4 blast at Beirut's port.
France has recorded more than 4,500 new cases over the past 24 hours, health authorities announced. It is the second day in a row since May that the bar of 4,000 new cases in 24 hours has passed.
Regional authorities in Madrid have recommend the population in the areas most affected by the coronavirus go into confinement. The total number of cases counted in Spain grew by more than 8,000 in 24 hours, 1,000 more than the previous day.
British Government debt has exceeded £2 trillion ($2.6 trillion) for the first time following large state borrowing as the pandemic pushed the UK economy deep into recession, the Office for National Statistics has said.
08:46 PM
Rhode Island reopened day cares without major virus outbreaks
Rhode Island, the smallest US state, was able to reopen day care programs in the summer without high rates of coronavirus spread, a study found today.
Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which wrote the study, held it up as an example that could be replicated across the country.
"I think this is an inspiring article to tell individuals that there is a path where one can use or partner with their public health authorities and safely get these childcare programs reopened," he said in a call to reporters.
A total of 666 out of 891 childcare programs, both center- and home-based, reopened in Rhode Island on June 1 following a significant decline in cases and hospitalizations in the state.
Officials imposed measures like universal masking for adults, daily symptom screening for everyone, routine disinfection, reduced class sizes (first up to 12, and later 20), and maintaining stable bubbles of staff and children.
The programs also had to conform to strict quarantining and contact tracing measures if an outbreak occurred.
However, while the report said these programs had a capacity for 18,945 children, it is not known how many children actually attended over the period studied.
The CDC also told AFP in a statement that the number of children who attended had not been tracked, making the overall significance of the findings harder to gauge.
08:35 PM
The basics of Covid hygiene seem to have passed many Britons by
People in other countries seem to "get" the necessities of protection against coronavirus better – meaning life feels more normal, writes our global health security editor Paul Nuki.
I've spent a lot time in Portugal over the course of the pandemic, and it seems people there "get" the basics of Covid hygiene in a way that has somehow bypassed us Britons. Friends in Spain, France and Italy say it is the same there.
Almost every shop, restaurant, bar and supermarket has hand sanitiser at the door, and you don't get in without using it. People wear clean surgical masks (€17 for a pack of 50) whenever they enter an enclosed public space, adjusting them properly and donning them even when they go to the loo in a bar or restaurant. There are few queues and no crowding.
And here's the paradox. Life feels more normal in these places than it does at home. In the towns and villages on the coast above Lisbon, you would struggle to know that a pandemic is going on. Even the elderly are out and about and getting on with life. Most businesses are open and seemingly well on the way to recovery, because people feel safe using them.
Councils managing 380,000 households sent recycling to landfill and incineration during pandemic
Hundreds of thousands of households could have been pointlessly separating recycling at the height of the pandemic after councils responsible for handling the material sent it all to landfill or burnt it, a Daily Telegraph investigation can reveal.
A Freedom of Information survey by this newspaper found that five local authorities - covering nearly 400,000 households - took "drastic" steps as households in lockdown cleared out their homes.
Some councils were forced to act because staff fell ill with coronavirus, while others shifted the blame onto homeowners for trying to mix other waste with their recycled plastic, paper and glass.
World should be able to rein in coronavirus in under two years, says WHO
The world should be able to rein in the coronavirus pandemic in less than two years, the World Health Organization said today, as European nations battled rising numbers of new cases.
Western Europe has been enduring infection levels not seen in many months, particularly in Germany, France, Spain and Italy - sparking fears of a full-fledged second wave.
But WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sought to draw favourable comparisons with the notorious flu pandemic of 1918.
"We have a disadvantage of globalisation, closeness, connectedness, but an advantage of better technology, so we hope to finish this pandemic before less than two years," he told reporters.
By "utilising the available tools to the maximum and hoping that we can have additional tools like vaccines, I think we can finish it in a shorter time than the 1918 flu", he said.
08:02 PM
Comment: There's a revolution brewing in Generation Covid – and they have more power than they know
History teaches us that when hope fades, opportunity arises. Is this the moment when Britain's youth effects real change?
What started as a week riddled with injustice, that struck at the heart of the Conservative ambition to “level up” the country, has ended striking at the Conservative reputation for competence. And the consequences of a relationship to power poisoned so early in life could be profound. We should not expect young people to take it lying down.
This snatching away of hope is, history suggests, the most unbearable, the greatest provocation. It was a phenomenon that historian Alexis de Tocqueville first recognised in the mid-19th century in his book L’Ancien Régime et la Révolution – the greatest firebrands in revolutionary France emerged not from the poorest region, but from areas where prosperity was growing; where some liberties had been granted. Having tasted the good life they wanted more. Now.
This theory of a “revolution of rising expectations” has also been used to explain the Russia in 1917. Those who can see a better life, but who find it lies just beyond their fingertips, are the the most fervent revolutionaries.
Today, young people fit exactly that description: they have seen generations before them profit from an extraordinary period of economic expansion and prosperity, only to find that they will not be so lucky: after the crash a decade ago they suffered greater unemployment; their wages fell most. Today, Covid has exacerbated that: a third of 18-24-year-old employees (excluding students) have lost jobs or been furloughed, compared to one-in-six prime-age adults, according to the Resolution Foundation.
The number of coronavirus-related deaths in the US has risen by 1,074 to 173,490, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today.
Cases of Covid-19 have also risen by 44,864 to 5,551,793, as of 4pm (ET) on August 20.
07:46 PM
Your coronavirus questions answered
From your rights around returning to work to getting help on paying back your overdraft, these unprecedented times have raised many practical questions around how to navigate the pandemic - especially in terms of work and finances.
Here are some useful explainers from our journalists that answer some of your most pressing questions:
Watch: Britons rush to return from Croatia ahead of quarantine deadline after country is put on 'red list'
07:23 PM
Taoiseach: Golfing dinner a 'monumental' error of judgement
Public figures who attended a golf dinner in Ireland with more than 80 people present committed a "monumental" error of judgment, the Taoiseach has said.
Micheal Martin said his former agriculture minister Dara Calleary had done the right thing in resigning amid a public backlash at the behaviour during the pandemic.
He urged Ireland's European Commission member Phil Hogan to apologise wholeheartedly but refused to be drawn on the position of a newly appointed Supreme Court judge who was also present.
The Irish premier said: "It is important that those who make the rules observe the rules."
Irish police are investigating whether the dinner, organised by the Irish parliament's golf society in Clifden in the west of Ireland this week, and including a host of politicians, breached coronavirus regulations.
Last night I attended a function I committed to a number of weeks ago, to pay tribute to a person I respected and admired greatly. In light of the updated public health guidance this week I should not have attended the event. I wish to apologise unreservedly to everyone 1/2
Coronavirus travel advice: our consumer champion explains your rights
People with holidays booked could well have their travel plans disrupted, as the Government has struck a number of countries off its list of those you can visit without having to quarantine for two weeks afterwards.
Popular holiday destinations including France, Spain and the Spanish islands, Croatia and the Netherlands have been removed after fresh spikes of coronavirus cases.
Although Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave the green light for holidays to go ahead this summer, this decision was dependent on the coronavirus infection rate in other countries remaining low.
From airlines going bust to what happens if you're asked to quarantine, our consumer champion Katie Morley has all the answers to your questions here.
06:54 PM
Retail sales hit record high as shoppers splurge after lockdown
Retail sales surged to record highs last month as enthusiastic shoppers spent with a vengeance after months of lockdown but economists warned it would not be enough to launch a full-scale recovery.
Families bought 3pc more in July than they did in February, before the pandemic struck, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
Pent-up demand combined with improved household finances, as consumers paid down debts and stacked up savings through the lockdown, to boost sales to never-before-seen levels, showing this part of the economy has snapped back in a neat "V-shaped" recovery.
Temporary schools to be built to meet surge in demand for A-level places
Portable rooms and marquees are expected to be commandeered as "temporary schools" in order to meet a surge in demand, with schools set to be inundated due to grade inflation.
Bill Watkin, the chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, told The Telegraph that, due to the greater number of students who have met the entry level criteria to study A-levels, "necessary capacity to take extra students" had to be provided.
"We will need to build temporary schools that are robust on existing college land," he said. "Some won't be able to because they are on a small plot of land, some will be heavily oversubscribed, but those that have the land could have the extra buildings set up in time for the September enrollment."
Spain orders closure of brothels as clients fail to heed testing calls
Spain’s Government has ordered the closure of the country’s brothels after several outbreaks of Covid-19 linked to such establishments which have proved difficult for health authorities to trace.
Equality Minister Irene Montero wrote to Spain’s 17 regional governments asking them to shut down hundreds of brothels that remain open for business, despite the recent agreement among Spanish authorities to close all nightclubs and late bars.
The move announced today comes after at least three outbreaks were traced to brothels and amid a sharp rise in the number of positive cases in the country.
On Thursday night, the government admitted that the infection is now “out of control in some areas”.
1m in Birmingham asked to restrict home visitors to prevent new lockdown
More than a million people in Birmingham will be advised to limit the number of people entering their homes to two as part of voluntary restrictions to stave off a local lockdown, the Guardian reports.
The UK’s second biggest city was placed on the Government’s “watch list” today as cases rose, prompting the council to suggest a series of voluntary measures which include limiting public gatherings to 30 people except for communal prayer and asking drivers and passengers in taxis to wear face coverings.
There will also be a pause on any areas of the Birmingham economy opening up which remain closed, such as nightclubs and conference centres.
Advertisement Cases of Covid-19 are rising quickly in the city, with 30.2 cases per 100,000 and the percentage of people testing positive up to 4.3.
More than half of cases in the last week have been within the 18-34 age demographic.
06:12 PM
Over 500 workers could be made redundant at Glasgow's SEC Centre
Hundreds of workers at the SEC Centre in Glasgow are set to be made redundant before the furlough scheme ends, the Glasgow Times reports.
In an email sent to staff and shared with the paper, Levy Restaurants - the company which employs hospitality staff at the venue- told workers their last furlough payment would be made on September 9.
Unite has said that over 500 members of staff will be affected but Levy UK said the number is lower than this. The company could not provide an exact figure.
The paper reports that workers were told that due to the fact live events were not able to continue because of ongoing coronavirus restrictions, the company would not continue their employment.
06:02 PM
Cross-party group of MPs criticises privacy watchdog over test and trace scheme
A cross-party group of more than 20 MPs has criticised the UK’s privacy watchdog over its handling of the Government’s test and trace scheme.
The letter, signed by 22 MPs, calls on the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to request changes to the NHS scheme over its use of personal data.
“The Government not only appears unwilling to understand its legal duties, it also seems to lack any sense that it needs your advice, except as a shield against criticism,” the MPs wrote.
MPs from the Liberal Democrats, Labour, Green party and Scottish National party called on the ICO to carry out “urgent” action such as demanding documents from the Government on how the scheme works.
Sweden stands firm on face masks as Anders Tegnell refuses to copy other countries' strategy
With face masks mandatory on public transport in Denmark from Saturday morning, Sweden is now in the position it has been in so often during the coronavirus pandemic - alone.
The country, which chose not to close lower secondary schools, pubs, restaurants, and sports facilities at the peak in April, is again an outlier in not recommending the general public wear face masks.
Dr Anders Tegnell, the country's state epidemiologist, told the Daily Telegraph that he did not expect the Public Health Agency of Sweden to follow Norway, Finland and Denmark and drop its opposition to masks when it recommends new measures to Sweden's government at the start of next month.
"The main risk, I think, is that people will think: 'okay, I'm wearing a face mask. I don't need to take these other precautions'," he said, saying his agency believed social distancing and self-isolation of the sick were "much more important".
Richard Orange, reporting from Malmo, has the full story here.
05:40 PM
Corrupt practices around PPE for health workers is 'murder', says WHO chief
Corrupt practices around medical safety gear for Covid-19 health workers is tantamount to "murder", the World Health Organization chief said today.
In strong remarks, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that corruption which deprives health workers of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) threatened not only their lives but also the lives of their patients suffering from the coronavirus.
The WHO director-general was asked about graft in South Africa, which is reeling from coronavirus-linked corruption scandals.
"Any type of corruption is unacceptable," Tedros told a virtual news conference. "However, corruption related to PPE... for me it's actually murder. Because if health workers work without PPE, we're risking their lives. And that also risks the lives of the people they serve.
"So it's criminal and it's murder and it has to stop."
The outcry in South Africa began with reports that local government officials were hoarding and selling food donations meant for families without income during lockdown. Anger mounted further when some hospitals found that state purchases of masks, gowns and other PPE were not reaching staff.
South Africa's Special Investigating Unit is investigating more than 160 companies to check the legitimacy of coronavirus-related equipment and services provided.
05:30 PM
Extend Eat Out To Help Out into September, say restaurants and pubs
Pub and restaurant chiefs have urged Rishi Sunak to extend the Eat Out To Help Out scheme after diners flocked back in droves when the subsidy launched in August.
Bosses are pleading for an extension to the Chancellor's £350m meal subsidy to help them stay afloat, amid fears that a string of cash-strapped businesses are at risk of going bust if a fresh downturn strikes in coming months.
Meanwhile, several chains have already taken matters into their own hands and vowed to continue offering discounts regardless of whether they get state support.
Residents of Wuhan wear masks while walking through the entrance during Wuhan Beer Festival on August 21 - Getty Images Renters and housing advocates attend a protest to cancel rent and avoid evictions in front of a court house in California - AFP Health workers collect swabs and conduct tests on passengers for coronavirus at the Capodichino airport in Naples, Italy, as the country sees an uptick in cases - Shutterstock
05:12 PM
Ministers set out to protect most vulnerable in society during pandemic, says Housing Secretary
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said ministers had set out to protect the most vulnerable in society during the pandemic, concluding it was “important” to extend the eviction ban for a further four weeks.
He told BBC News: "At the start of the pandemic we said that we would set out to protect the most vulnerable people in society.
"We did that by helping rough sleepers off the streets, we did it through the shielding programme and we did it importantly by ensuring that nobody could be evicted during the height of Covid.
"This week, we have reviewed the evidence as we said we would and concluded that it is important to keep that stay on evictions going for another four weeks.
"We have also put in place extra protections for renters, in particular a new six-month notice period before which proceedings could start.
"We’ve worked with the judiciary and the courts service, so that when the courts do reopen, they will rigorously prioritise the cases that come forwards, so that the first cases are the most egregious ones, including anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse.
05:02 PM
Driving test booking site crashes after 'unprecedented demand'
Learner drivers were left unable to book a driving test today after the website crashed under "unprecedented demand".
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) started taking bookings for England and Wales once again from 8am, after several months of suspension due to lockdown. But people complained about problems arranging a slot on social media.
When attempting to access the application page users were met with an error message.
"Coronavirus has severely impacted our business as usual operations, including by stopping driving tests for many months as part of social distancing," the DVSA said in a statement.
"Following unprecedented demand for the driving test booking system after its reopening, we are aware that some users have not been able to complete their test bookings.
"We are urgently working to fix this and apologise for any inconvenience caused to those who have been unable to book so far."
Writing to users on Twitter on Friday, the agency added: "There are limited numbers of tests available today but more will be released on Monday. We're not taking bookings for any further than 6 weeks in advance."
04:50 PM
Btec students will receive results by end of next week
All Btec students will receive their results by the end of next week following delays, the awarding organisation has said.
A spokeswoman for Pearson said: "We have now written to colleges to confirm that all eligible results will be available by August 28."
It comes after hundreds of thousands of students were told last-minute that they would not receive their Btec results this week amid a U-turn.
The exam board made the decision to review the grading of their level one to three Btec qualifications following Ofqual's announcement that A-level and GCSE students would receive grades based on their teachers' estimates.
A statement from Pearson added: "We know this has caused frustration and additional uncertainty for students, and we are truly sorry.
"No grades will go down as part of this review."
04:38 PM
Italian wine exports withered by virus
Exports of Italian wine are drying up as the coronavirus batters demand on a level not seen for 30 years, the agricultural trade union Coldiretti said today.
Exports have slumped 4 per cent so far this year after the virus forced the closure of restaurants in Italy and elsewhere, leaving domestic producers on the rack and exporters also hit badly.
Consumption of Italian wine in China, where the virus first emerged in December, nosedived 44 per cent in the period between January and May, data compiled by the national statistics institute Istat showed.
In France, it dropped 14 per cent and in Britain - where uncertainty over Brexit also played a role - it fell 12 per cent.
"With almost four out of 10 producers in difficulty after the (coronavirus) crisis, we must swiftly intervene to support exports, reduce costs and cumbersome administration," said Coldiretti chairman Ettore Prandini.
04:27 PM
Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo infects 100 people
An ebola outbreak in western Democratic Republic of Congo has infected 100 people and killed 43, the World Health Organisation has said.
The latest outbreak of the virus was declared on June 1 in Mbandaka, a city of one million people on the River Congo, just before Congo declared the end of a previous outbreak in the east that had dragged on for two years.
It has spread to remote villages in Equateur province spanning more than 300km of dense forest with few roads, the WHO said in a statement.
The pace of the virus’s spread has been relatively consistent, case data shows.
“The virus is spreading across a wide and rugged terrain which requires costly interventions,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa regional director.
As in previous outbreaks, the WHO has implemented a ring vaccination strategy, where contacts of infected individuals are vaccinated, reaching more than 22,600 people to date.
04:19 PM
Swindon, Bury and Stoke-on-Trent record notable week-on-week case jump
PA news agency have an update of the rolling seven-day rate of new cases of Covid-19 for every local authority area in England.
The figures, for the seven days to August 18, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government's testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).
In Oldham, 170 new cases were recorded in the seven days to August 18 - the equivalent of 71.7 per 100,000 people. This is the highest rate in England but it is down from 112.2 in the seven days to August 11.
The rate in Pendle is 67.3, down from 108.6, with 62 new cases.
Blackburn with Darwen is third, where the rate has fallen from 88.2 to 56.1, with 84 new cases.
In Leicester the rate continues to fall, down from 70.6 to 51.4, with 182 new cases.
Areas recording notable week-on-week jumps include Swindon (up from 39.2 to 45.9, with 102 new cases), Bury (up from 24.6 to 29.8, with 57 new cases) and Stoke-on-Trent (up from 14.4 to 26.1, with 67 new cases).
04:10 PM
Scotland: cases up by 71 but no new deaths
The number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours in Scotland has risen by 71 and there have been no new deaths.
A further 17 cases have been reported in the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde area with 10 more confirmed by NHS Grampian, which includes the locked-down city of Aberdeen.
04:02 PM
Spain records over 3,600 new cases
Spain has reported 3,650 new Covid-19 infections in the past 24 hours, bringing its total caseload to 386,054, while three more people have died, the health ministry said.
On Thursday, cases increased by 3,349. A further 125 people have died from the virus over the past seven days.
Deaths from the virus have risen in Spain since it lifted a three-month national lockdown in late June, but they remain far below the levels seen during the pandemic’s late-March peak when the daily toll approached 1,000.
While infections have slowed since last Friday’s post-lockdown record of 7,609, this drop may not represent a trend as similar declines have been followed by new peaks in recent weeks. The latest figures could be modified in future as the official statistics are updated retroactively.
03:53 PM
Italy reports highest daily rate of coronavirus cases since May
Italy has registered 947 new infections today, the biggest daily case rise since May 14, when the country was still in lockdown.
The total number of cases is now up to 257,065. Nine more people have died with the virus and the death toll now stands at 35,427.
“There is continued talk of a second wave of the virus, but in fact the first wave is actually not over yet,’’ health ministry consultant Walter Ricciardi said. “We knew that easing (lockdown) measures would have consequences.’’
03:43 PM
Tour de France warns teams: two Covid-19 positives and you're out
Tour de France organisers have told teams they will boot them off the race if they return two positive Covid-19 tests in seven days, official sources said today.
AFP reports that the measure concerns not only the riders, but other team staff inside the "race bubble".
The 2020 Tour will start on August 29 in Nice. There are 28 teams each with eight riders but those in close contact in the bubble take the total to 25 to 30 people.
All the riders must undergo two PCR nasal tests in the days leading up to the start of the Tour.
"A first wave will be made on Saturday, Sunday and Monday," said a Tour official, explaining the tests were spread over three days because riders were competing in their national championships spread across Europe and over the weekend "and riders are not tested on race day."
He added "a second wave of tests" will also be staggered over three days - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - because some riders will be competing in the European championships, which run from Monday to Thursday in Brittany.
A team can replace a rider who tests positive before the race.
03:34 PM
UK: Over 1,000 new coronavirus cases
The Government said 41,405 people had died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of 5pm on Thursday, an increase of two on the day before.
Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have now been 57,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
The Government also said that as of 9am on Friday, there had been a further 1,033 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus. Overall, 323,313 cases have been confirmed.
03:26 PM
Housing Secretary confirms extension of evictions
However, it is right that the most egregious cases, for example those involving anti-social behaviour or domestic abuse perpetrators, begin to be heard in court again.
When courts reopen, landlords will be able to progress these priority cases.
Wales will prioritise reopening schools over everything else
Reopening schools in September will be given "top priority" over easing any further coronavirus regulations in Wales, the First Minister has said.
Mark Drakeford warned while there are "things we would like to be able to do", including allowing more groups of people to meet indoors, making sure pupils can return to class is the Government's main focus.
Mr Drakeford announced the latest forthcoming changes to regulations in Wales today, which include trialling a number of small-scale outdoor performances and sporting events limited to 100 people.
But asked whether any "big changes" will be put on hold in order to avoid putting the reopening of schools at risk - with question marks remaining over the resumption opening of arts venues and allowing large crowds at professional sport events - he said schools come first.
He said: "I remain acutely aware of the major events sector here in Wales which hasn't been able to resume at all. But I do have to say to all of those sectors, and indeed to all the things we've been able to do already, that schools will be our top priority going into the autumn.
"If coronavirus does not remain at the very suppressed level it currently is, then we will think about schools first as we still try and find some headroom to go on in the gradual step-by-step way we have restoring freedoms to people in Wales."
03:13 PM
Tunisia imposes curfew on towns in attempt to control outbreak
Tunisia has imposed a 5pm to 5am curfew on two southern towns in an attempt to contain a renewed coronavirus outbreak, state news agency TAP said.
The country is seeking to counter a second spread of Covid-19 which became evident when it reopened borders on June 27 as part of steps to ease a lockdown and revive the economy.
Since then, however, Tunisia has recorded a major resurgence of infections, exceeding 100 per day over the last two weeks.
The curfew in towns of Hamma and Hamma Gharbia will take effect from today until August 27.
03:04 PM
All university students 'should be tested for Covid-19 as they arrive on campus'
Universities should test all students and staff for Covid-19 as they arrive on campus and avoid face-to-face teaching, a group of scientists has said.
All courses should be offered online apart from those which are lab or practice-based, as in-person teaching carries a higher risk of Covid-19 transmission, according to a report from Independent Sage.
The recommendation comes after two US universities, the University of North Carolina and the University of Notre Dame, were forced to halt on-campus teaching following Covid-19 outbreaks.
Freshers' week and teaching should be held online at the start of the term, the scientists said.
In a report published today, Independent Sage said socialising among students should be restricted to "residential bubbles" in the first few weeks to prevent infection.
02:52 PM
Further five hospital deaths in England
A further five people who tested positive for the coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals to 29,490, NHS England said today.
The patients were aged between 41 and 96, and all had known underlying health conditions.
Another three deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
02:46 PM
Some 'not strict enough' with social distancing, says West Midlands mayor
The mayor of the West Midlands believes "some people have not been strict enough" with coronavirus measures, after Birmingham was added to a watch list as an "area of enhanced support".
There have been reports that the UK's second city could be placed into a local lockdown amid rising numbers of cases in the area.
Conservative mayor of the region, Andy Street, said the city is in"an extremely challenging situation".
In a statement posted on Twitter, he added: "People across the region have made an enormous sacrifice since the start of lockdown to keep the virus at bay, but the virus is now returning and recent efforts to counter that have been insufficient.
"It is evident that some people have not been strict enough when it comes to keeping up the basics of social distancing, hand washing and wearing a face covering, nor following the guidelines on avoiding mass gatherings.
"This has to change immediately and I would ask every single citizen, both across Birmingham and the West Midlands, to redouble their efforts."
His sentiments were echoed by the leader of Birmingham City Council, Ian Ward, who thinks the watch list should be a "wake-up call for everyone".
02:35 PM
Landlords association criticises eviction ban extension
National Residential Landlords Association chief executive Ben Beadle heavily criticised the extension, saying landlords "cannot be expected to foot the bill for Government failure".
He said: "A blanket extension is unacceptable, especially so close to the deadline.
"An enormous amount of work has gone into finding a balance between supporting tenants who have been affected by the pandemic and preventing significant financial harm to landlords, in accordance with the Government's promise. This announcement satisfies no-one.
"Landlords have been left powerless in exercising their legal right to deal with significant arrears unrelated to Covid-19, antisocial behaviour and extremely disruptive tenants who make life miserable for their neighbours and housemates.
"Private landlords cannot be expected to foot the bill for Government failure. There must now be a plan to support households to pay their bills and to compensate landlords fully for their lost income."
02:29 PM
Government urged to go further than eviction ban
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the "11th hour U-turn", but said "such a brief extension means there is a real risk that this will simply give renters a few more weeks to pack their bags".
He said Prime Minister Boris Johnson has "stuck his head in the sand" for months, adding: "The ban should not be lifted until the Government has a credible plan to ensure that no-one loses their home as a result of coronavirus."
Crisis director of policy Matt Downie said the Government must now use the time it has bought to deal with the issue properly rather than simply further extending the ban.
He told the PA news agency: "This is not the first time that we've had to reach the 11th hour to find out whether people desperately worried about homelessness will be protected from evictions.
"It creates deep concern, stress amongst people themselves who know that landlords want to evict them, but also for all of us trying to make sure we don't see another wave of homelessness.
"It's not a responsible way to go about managing people living in precarious situations up and down the country, and we very much hope September 20 doesn't lead to us having to have exactly the same conversation on the 18th or 19th of September."
Polly Neate, chief executive of housing charity Shelter, said: "A bullet may have been dodged with this extension but, as soon as Parliament returns, it must give judges extra powers to stop renters being evicted because of 'Covid-arrears'.
"Facing eviction this Christmas is not a present anybody wants."
02:21 PM
Eviction ban to be extended by four weeks
A four-week extension of the eviction ban has been confirmed, after the Government was warned that hundreds of thousands of renters could lose their homes.
Charities have said they fear mass evictions around Christmas if the Government does not give judges powers to stop automatic evictions of tenants affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
Renters have been protected during the crisis by a ban announced in March and extended in June, but it was due to end in England and Wales next week.
If lifted without extra protection, charities have warned that tens of thousands of outgoing tenants could be unable to access affordable homes, prompting a "devastating homelessness crisis".
The move was confirmed in a letter to judges by Master of the Rolls Sir Terence Etherton after a meeting of the civil procedure rule committee (CPRC), which makes rules for county courts.
He said the extension would last until September 20, adding: "This four-week extension to stay relating to housing possession cases will allow for further work to be done to prepare for the stay to be lifted which in many respects can be welcomed."
A formal announcement from the Government is expected shortly.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the "11th hour U-turn", but said "such a brief extension means there is a real risk that this will simply give renters a few more weeks to pack their bags".
02:09 PM
AstraZeneca gets approval to conduct part of Phase III trial in Russia
AstraZeneca has received regulatory approval to conduct part of a Phase III trial of its potential Covid-19 vaccine, AZD1222, in Russia, a filing in the Russian registry of clinical trials showed today.
The trial will involve 150 participants and will be handled by four medical facilities in St Petersburg and Moscow, the registry filing showed.
01:56 PM
Watch: UK holidaymakers rush back from Croatia as Shapps says 'We must protect public health back home'
01:53 PM
Coronavirus death rate continues to fall – despite more positive tests
Deaths from Covid-19 are continuing to fall and hospitals are ‘relatively empty’ even though the number of people testing positive for coronavirus is rising, new analysis shows.
Despite growing concern that rising cases will lead to a new wave of coronavirus, requiring further local lockdowns, the recent increase in numbers has not translated into hospitalisations and fatalities, even when allowing for the time lag between infections and death.
Analysis by the University of Leeds and the University of Oxford shows that if there had been a correlation between the recent rise in cases and deaths, fatalities should have risen to around 35 per day by now.
People caring for elderly 'should have regular coronavirus tests in event of outbreaks'
People who visit the elderly should be prioritised for regular coronavirus tests to build a "chain of trust" that protects those most at risk, a paper to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) says.
Health officials are working on a strategy of "segmentation", which would see advice given to those most at risk from Covid-19 to act with particular caution in a bid to avoid full lockdowns.
It had been suggested that this could mean all over-50s were told to stay at home, but officials are working on a less prescriptive approach which advises each individual on their risks.
The briefing by Edinburgh University suggests that, in the event of outbreaks and advice to the most vulnerable to reduce social contact, testing should be offered to those who care for them in order to break the chain of transmission.
Local leaders asked to consult on lockdown restriction areas
Local leaders will be asked to help recommend appropriate geography for lockdown restrictions in areas impacted by a rise in coronavirus cases.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said local authorities in regions subject to national intervention would be asked to agree which areas should be included under any new measures.
It comes after restrictions were imposed on Leicester in June and across Greater Manchester last month.
On Friday, Oldham was exempted from a local lockdown after a review, but will be subject to additional restrictions.
The DHSC has said the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) will provide data to inform decision-making on where measures should be brought in.
A final decision on where local restrictions are imposed will be taken by Health Secretary Matt Hancock and chief medical officer Chris Whitty.
01:12 PM
UK Coronavirus R rate rises to between 0.9-1.1
The reproduction number (R value) of coronavirus in the UK has risen to between 0.9-1.1, figures from the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) show.
The numbers suggest there is a risk that the overall coronavirus epidemic in the UK is growing, Government scientists say.
The latest growth rate for the whole of the UK is between minus 3% to plus 1%, a slight change from between minus 4% to minus 1% last week.
The growth rate of coronavirus transmission reflects how quickly the number of infections is changing day by day.
01:06 PM
Spain seeks to shut brothels to curb coronavirus contagion
Spanish Equality Minister Irene Montero has asked regions to order the closure of brothels in a bid to prevent new coronavirus outbreaks, a week after the government shut most nightlife establishments and imposed various other restrictions.
The ministry has sent a letter asking "regions to specifically act on places where prostitution is exercised, like brothels", she told radio station RNE on Friday.
Brothels operate in a legal grey area in Spain, which makes regulating their activities tricky, a ministry spokesman said.
Prostitution is tolerated in Spain while sexual exploitation and pimping are illegal. Many brothels operate in the country as hotels or other lodging establishments.
Montero said the same rules that apply to nightclubs should be imposed on brothels, while her ministry was working on regulation to protect people from sexual exploitation.
12:49 PM
Swiss coronavirus cases highest in four months
Switzerland has racked up more than 300 new coronavirus cases on Friday for the second time this week, as confirmed infections returned to a level not seen since mid-April.
The wealthy Alpine nation managed to avoid the worst of the pandemic despite bordering Italy, Europe's early epicentre for deaths and infections.
In mid-March, Switzerland introduced restrictions aimed at halting the spread, though it stopped short of the strict confinement imposed by some of its neighbours.
It eased off its restrictions in gradual stages - but case numbers have been steadily on the rise since late June.
"The situation is under control, but remains fragile," Health Minister Alain Berset said on Thursday.
12:42 PM
60m Americans could have been infected with Covid-19, new research shows
Dr Robert Redfield, Director of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), believes as many as 60 million Americans could have been infected with coronavirus.
The CDC released a report to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in June showing an infection rate of 10 per cent in the USA.
Official reported case figures yesterday stood at 5.58 million according to John Hopkins University, but Dr Redfield said Thursday that testing had missed 90 per cent of cases of more. A 10-20 per cent infection rate would translate to as many as 60 million infected.
Speaking via video interview, Dr Redfield said: “We’re in the process of obviously following up with the report that we did in JAMA...I can tell you that we have some areas that we're looking at less than 1% and we have other areas we're looking at 20%.”
“I think if you're going to do a crude estimate, somewhere between 30 and 60 million people -- but let's let the data come out and see what the data shows.”
12:37 PM
Health Secretary responds to Oldham's avoidance of full lockdown
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "The only way we can keep on top of this deadly virus is through decisive action led by the people who know their areas best, wherever possible through consensus with a local area.
"Working with local leaders we agreed further action in Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn.
"Our approach is to make the action we take as targeted as possible, with the maximum possible local consensus."
12:35 PM
Lebanon enforces new partial lockdown in effort to curb Covid-19
Lebanon has imposed a partial lockdown for two weeks starting today in an effort to counter Covid-19 infections which have spiralled since the catastrophic explosion at Beirut port.
The spread of Covid-19 is compounding the woes of a country still reeling from the blast on August 4 that killed at least 179 people and wounded some 6,000, and a financial meltdown that has devastated the economy since October.
"In this area those who escaped death have relatives who are wounded, there are no homes or cars, frankly we have forgotten corona," said Nabil Nahed, 50, a public sector employee whose house in the Gemmayzeh area was badly damaged in the blast.
A priest stands by fireworks during the funeral of Joe Bou Saab, one of the nine firefighters and one paramedic who lost their lives attending the explosion at Beirut Port, in Damour, Lebanon - Sam Tarling
12:09 PM
Searches for flights to Portugal soar after quarantine lifted
Searches for flights to Portugal have soared after the country was removed from the UK's quarantine list.
Passengers arriving in the UK from Portugal will no longer have to self-isolate from 4am on Saturday after an approved travel corridor was confirmed.
The news, announced on Thursday evening, has caused search traffic for flights to the coastal nation to peak as other popular holiday destinations such as Croatia were removed from the UK's safe list.
Google search data shows a significant spike in searches for the term "flights to Portugal" by users in the UK at around 6pm on Thursday.
There was smaller peak at 7am on Friday morning.
Looking to travel to Portugal? Try our interactive map for the best destinations
12:00 PM
UK: Ministers warned bereaved families could lose compensation payments
Families who lost loved ones to Covid-19 while they were working on the front line could be stripped of their social security payments, it has been claimed.
Under the NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme, a £60,000 lump sum given to relatives of workers who die after contracting coronavirus is being treated as capital in means-tested benefits.
This means that, under current rules, a family entitled to Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Pension Credit would lose their entitlement.
Labour has warned ministers that families are having to choose between losing access to benefits or receiving a compensation payment.
The party has called for such payments to be disregarded in the same way as other schemes such as the Windrush Compensation Scheme or those who hold a Victoria or George Cross.
11:50 AM
Football: Harry Kane to miss first Tottenham pre-season match after going into quarantine
Harry Kane is set to miss Tottenham Hotspur’s opening pre-season fixture this weekend after going into quarantine on his return from holiday.
The England captain went to the Bahamas after Spurs’ season was completed on July 26, with restrictions for returning from the Caribbean country announced on August 7 and travellers told to isolate for 14 days.
Jose Mourinho’s squad have returned at separate times this week to begin their preparations for 2020/21 but Kane is likely to come back next week.
Iraq: Muslim pilgrims gather for month of mourning despite pandemic
Iraqi Shiite pilgrims travelled to the shrine city of Karbala for the rites of the holy month of Muharram, despite calls from authorities to stay home during the pandemic
The pilgrimage is expected to be one of the largest religious gatherings in the Muslim world since the Covid-19 outbreak, which already forced Saudi Arabia to hold the smallest hajj in modern history.
Now begins Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year, but authorities in Iraq, Iran and beyond have repeatedly urged their citizens to forgo real-life pilgrimages due to the high risk of contracting Covid-19.
Iraqi Shiite Muslims respect social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic as they gather to commemorate the start of the month of Muharram ahead of Ashura, in the central city of Najaf,
Usually, millions of Shiites from around the world flock to Iraq to commemorate the birth of their faith, praying, eating and reflecting together..
11:25 AM
Some UK areas have higher Covid-19 rates than countries on quarantine list
Holidaymakers returning to face quarantine in the UK could be coming home to towns or cities with higher coronavirus rates than the sun-soaked places they have left.
The Government's threshold for considering quarantine measures is when a country records a seven-day rate of more than 20 cases per 100,000 people.
But a number of local authority areas in England have much higher rates than that.
The latest figures on Thursday showed that Oldham in Greater Manchester had a rate of 78.9 per 100,000 people.
Northampton is almost level on 78.4, while Blackburn with Darwen is third, where the rate has fallen from 81.5 to 67.5.
In Leicester, which was subject to the UK's first local lockdown, the rate continues to fall, but was still at 52.5.
For Croatia the rate of confirmed cases in Dubrovnik was 16.5 per 100,000 - well below the country's overall rate as indicated by the UK's Department for Transport this week of 27.4 per 100,000.
In Spain and France, which are subject to quarantine for returning travellers, the rates are 60.6 per 100,000 and 30.8 respectively.
11:15 AM
Rugby: Covid-19 has dealt women's sport a crippling blow - we must all help it to recover
According to Women in Sport, 32 per cent of women could not prioritise exercise during lockdown as they had too much to do for others; while Sport England said 42 per cent of women have reported a drop in activity levels.
Rugby Union - Women's Six Nations - England v Wales - Twickenham Stoop, London, Britain
The argument - often made abusively on social media - is that the men's arena is where the audiences are and the money is made. Get those up and running first, then worry about the rest later.
'Rushed reopening' of schools could lead to next care home crisis, union warns
The "rushed reopening" of schools could lead to the next care home crisis, a trade union official has warned.
Justin McCamphill of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) was one of six trade union representatives who expressed concern to the Stormont education committee.
Schools across Northern Ireland are due to reopen on Monday for Primary 7, Year 12 and Year 14 pupils, and for vulnerable children across all year groups.
All other pupils will return to school on a full-time basis from August 31.
Mr McCamphill told the committee: "It would have been more cautious and more sensible to open on a phased basis to see what the impact would be before moving to a full reopening.
11:00 AM
People with several long-term conditions at 48% greater coronavirus risk, study finds
People with two or more long-term health conditions have an almost 50% higher risk of getting a positive Covid-19 test, according to new research.
The study, led by the University of Glasgow, is the first to link both multimorbidity and polypharmacy with the likelihood of contracting coronavirus.
It found those with multiple long-term health conditions are linked to a 48% greater risk of a positive test result, while for those with two or more cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes it is 77% higher.
Dr Barbara Nicholl, who led the study, said: "Multimorbidity and polypharmacy are global healthcare challenges in their own right.
"Our study shows that having a positive Covid-19 test is more common in those living with these health conditions.
"These results will be important for public health and clinical decisions in the future as we continue to manage the health of those at greatest risk of a severe Covid-19 infection during this pandemic."
10:53 AM
Papua New Guinea halts arrival of allegedly vaccinated Chinese workers
Papua New Guinea has cancelled a flight from China filled with arriving passengers, who are believed to have received a coroanvirus vaccine, over concerns of the unknown health impact to the local population.
The passengers are workers at a Chinese-owned mine in Papua New Guinea, which had reportedly earlier notified the Pacific nation’s health department that 48 of its staff had been vaccinated in China early August, according to Solomon Times, a local newspaper.
With that knowledge, Papua New Guinea’s pandemic response controller David Manning barred the flight from landing in order to seek more information from the Chinese government.
Papua New Guinea has since asked the Chinese embassy to provide further information on the trials by which the Chinese workers were vaccinated, whether the Chinese nationals arriving are indeed the ones who received the doses, and whether Beijing is requiring citizens travelling overseas to get vaccinated.
China has been offering vaccines to employees of state-owned companies who work abroad, and is thought also to be inoculating the military, before clinical trials have finished.
10:44 AM
Covid 19 cause of 13 per cent of deaths in England, survey finds
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported that 13.7% of all 45,439 deaths that occurred in England from January to July was caused by Covid-19.
#COVID19 was the underlying cause of 13.7% of all deaths that occurred in England (45,439 deaths) from January to July.
In Wales, it was the underlying cause of 10.8% of all deaths in Wales (2,274 deaths) in the same time https://t.co/Y7qyIopedj
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) August 21, 2020
#COVID19 was the 8th most frequent underlying cause of death in England, accounting for 2.6% of deaths.
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) August 21, 2020
10:33 AM
Irish senator resigns after minister stands down over indoor golf event
Irish Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary and Senator Jerry Buttimer have both resigned after attending a golf society event indoors with 81 other people.
They were guests at the Oireachtas Golf Society event, which also included Independent TD Noel Grealish as well as EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and former attorney general Seamus Woulfe.
The event was held at the Station House Hotel in Clifden, Co Galway.
Current guidelines state that no more than 50 people should gather indoors.
It came as gardai confirmed they have launched an investigation into the event.
A statement said: "An Garda Siochana is investigating an event that was held in Co Galway on the 19th August 2020 into alleged breaches of the Health Act."
10:27 AM
Church at centre of South Korea coronavirus outbreak says government fabricating tests
South Korea's battle to contain a new outbreak of the coronavirus has been complicated by a political and religious fight between President Moon Jae-in's administration and some of his fiercest critics.
Sarang Jeil Church is the second religious group at the centre of a major coronavirus outbreak in South Korea.
A worker sprays disinfectant, as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic at Youido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea
The government accuses the church of obstruction by not providing complete lists of its members and spreading fake news that is hindering anti-virus efforts, while church members they are victims of a politically motivated witch hunt.
When the first infections were reported among church members on August 12, the government says the group flouted social distancing instructions, with the church's leader and others attending a massive anti-Moon rally in downtown Seoul on August 15.
Speaking at the rally, Rev. Jun Kwang-hun said Moon had "terrorised our church with the Wuhan virus".
10:19 AM
Surge in Covid cases in South Korea's capital spreads around country
A surge in Covid-19 cases in South Korea's capital Seoul appears to be spreading nationwide.
The 324 new infections was its highest single day total since early March and the eighth consecutive triple-digit daily increase.
Most of the people recently infected live in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan region, where health workers are scrambling to track transmissions from various sources, including churches, restaurants, schools and workers.
But the new infections reported Friday were from practically all of South Korea's major cities, including Busan, Gwangju, Daejeon, Sejong and Daegu, the southeastern city that was at the heart of a massive outbreak in late February and March.
The newest figures reported by South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought the nation's caseload to 16,670, including 309 deaths.
People wearing face masks cross a street in Seoul - AFP
10:08 AM
Holidaymakers pay hundreds for alternative routes to avoid Croatia quarantine
British holidaymakers have been forced to pay hundreds of pounds for alternative routes back from Croatia, after finding affordable flights home before Saturday's quarantine deadline almost impossible to come by.
Liam and Jodie, a couple from Keighley, West Yorkshire, paid about £800 to travel home from northern Croatia via Munich, in order to beat the quarantine deadline, after finding it impossible to book a direct flight in time.
"There wasn't an alternative. There are no flights from Pula to the UK on Fridays, only a flight from Zagreb to London runs, but obviously that was fully booked," Liam told the PA news agency.
"The only (other) flights available were with stops in Spain through Ryanair, but then we would have to quarantine anyway," he added.
People wait for planes at Split airport, as Croatia struggles with more cases of Covid-19 - Reuters
10:02 AM
Can Britain’s theme parks withstand the Covid rollercoaster?
A bleak scenario is similarly unfolding at British parks, which employ an estimated 250,000 people (rising to a million during the summer peak). Alton Towers, one of the country’s most popular outdoor destinations, reopened on July 4 at 25 per cent capacity and with a requirement that masks be worn on rides where screaming is likely.
The park, which reported 2.13 million visitors in 2019, was also forced to delay until September its new World of David Walliams and the headline Gangsta Granny ride.
Don't scream!: masked riders on Oblivion at Alton Towers - Getty Images
Slovakia records highest day-to-day increase of Covid-19 cases since start of pandemic
Slovakia has registered the highest day-to-day increase of Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.
Health Ministry figures show 123 were infected in the last 24 hours. The second highest number was 114 cases on April 15.
Overall, Slovakia has a relatively low number of infections. A total of 3,225 have tested positive for the virus while 33 have died.
Officials did not immediately offer an explanation for the jump in cases but they have been going up in neighboring countries, driven by returning vacationers and social events.
09:50 AM
Sweden set to ease Covid-19 restrictions on sports and gatherings from October
Sweden plans to ease pandemic rules to allow more spectators at cultural and sporting events, if they can be organised to prevent the risk of spreading the new coronavirus, the government said on Friday.
In March, Sweden limited public gatherings to 50 people to halt the spread of the virus, effectively preventing theatres, soccer clubs and concerts from being able to bring in revenues from the public.
But with the number of new infections and Covid-19 deaths falling in Sweden, the government said it planned to introduce exceptions to the 50-person maximum for events where crowds could be seated two meters apart from each other, from October 1.
Sweden got it largely right, and the British establishment catastrophically wrong. Anders Tegnell, Stockholm’s epidemiologist-king, has pulled off a remarkable triple whammy: far fewer deaths per capita than Britain, a maintenance of basic freedoms and opportunities, including schooling, and, most strikingly, a recession less than half as severe as our own.
09:42 AM
Myanmar locks down Rakhine state capital after outbreak of more infectious virus strain
Myanmar has locked down the state capital of conflict-torn Rakhine state after an outbreak of a coronavirus strain that officials said was more infectious than that previously seen in the country.
Nineteen people have tested positive for the virus in the western region since Monday, health officials said on Friday, the first local transmission in Myanmar in months, bringing the total number of cases to 409.
Myat Htut Nyunt, deputy director at Myanmar's department of medical research, said the type of virus was the same as a mutation detected earlier this week in Malaysia, which has been found in Europe, North America, and parts of Asia and is thought to be more infectious.
"So we would like to inform the people that this kind of virus has a faster rate of transmission," the official said.
Myanmar police stand guard at a locked street in Sittwe, Rakhine State, western Myanmar, - Shutterstock
09:32 AM
Third of adults unlikely to use Eat Out Scheme, survey finds
Just one in 10 adults had participated in the Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme by the middle of August and a third are unlikely to do so, a survey has found.
While 93 per cent of adults told the Office for National Statistics (ONS) they are aware of the scheme, just 11 per cent said they had used it by August 16.
A further 41 per cent said they are very likely or likely to make use of the scheme during August, while 36 per cent said the opposite.
93% of adults said they had heard about the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, and 11% said they had already eaten out and received the discount.
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) August 21, 2020
Of the latter, more than 51 per cent said they do not want to make use of the scheme because they are worried about catching coronavirus, and 46 per cent said they are concerned about being able to socially distance from other diners.
09:26 AM
Virus cases reported at 41 schools in Germany's capital
At least 41 schools in Berlin have reported that students or teachers have become infected with the coronavirus not even two weeks after schools reopened in the German capital.
Daily Berliner Zeitung published the figures today with confirmation from city education authorities.
Hundreds of students and teacher are in quarantine with elementary schools, high schools and trade schools all affected, the paper wrote.
09:15 AM
Thailand to allow long-stay tourists in island of Phuket from October
Thailand will allow foreign tourists to visit for longer stays from October, a senior official said today, as the government tries to revive a key economic sector that has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Tourists will have to stay for at least 30 days, with the first 14 days in quarantine in a limited vicinity of their hotel, before they can visit other areas, Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
The announcement comes after authorities suspended plans to create ‘travel bubbles’ with partner countries as the number of coronavirus cases in Asia rose.
“On October 1 we will start in Phuket,” Yuthasak said.
Visitors will have to take two coronavirus tests during quarantine before they are able to travel to the rest of the island, Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, said on Thursday.
09:08 AM
UK: Transport Secretary cannot give figures on quarantine fines as safe travel list changed
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said he cannot provide figures on how many fines have been issued to people breaking quarantine rules, as more British holidaymakers face a scramble to return from popular destinations being removed from the safe travel list.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said people travelling anywhere abroad this summer should keep their "eyes open" to prospect of quarantining - PA
From 4am on Saturday, anyone returning from Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Mr Shapps said people travelling anywhere abroad this summer should keep their "eyes open" to the prospect of having to quarantine on return, pointing to his own experience of having been "caught out" when Spain was removed from the safe travel list while he was in the country last month.
Two-week quarantine rules for all UK arrivals came into force on June 8 to tackle the spread of coronavirus, with a number of countries added to and removed from the safe list - meaning self-isolation is not required - as the weeks have gone by.
Insisting quarantine checks are being made, Mr Shapps said his wife received a phone call "randomly" from Border Force after returning from their family holiday.
Asked on BBC Breakfast if anyone has been fined yet, he said "yes" but was not able to provide figures.
09:01 AM
Doctors strike in Nairobi over pay and lack of Covid-19 protection
Doctors in most public hospitals in Kenya's capital went on strike today to protest against delayed salaries and a lack of protective equipment when handling patients who may have Covid-19.
The strike began at midnight on Friday, said Thuranira Kaugiria, secretary general for the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union.
He said 320 doctors employed by the Nairobi County government were taking part in the strike because they had inadequate health insurance, poor quality protective gear and too few isolation wards to treat Covid-19 patients.
The strike will not affect private hospitals and public hospitals within Nairobi run by the national government.
Latest data show 31,441 confirmed coronavirus cases in Kenya, 620 deaths and 13,536 recoveries out of 407,610 tests done so far. The majority of confirmed cases have been in the capital.
A Covid-19 booth dedicated to screening students and guests entering Kibera School for Girls in Kenya - AFP
08:53 AM
UK: More than half of adults strongly supported targeted lockdown measures
More than half (55%) of adults strongly supported targeted lockdown measures for local areas affected by coronavirus outbreaks, the Office of National Statiscitcs has said.
More than half (55%) of adults strongly supported targeted lockdown measures for local areas affected by #coronavirus outbreaks.
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) August 21, 2020
08:46 AM
Poland reports new record in coronavirus new daily cases
Poland has reported 903 new coronavirus cases on Friday, according to the Health Ministry's Twitter account, the highest daily increase since the pandemic outbreak.
Poland has reported 60,281 cases in all, and 1,938 deaths.
Mamy 903 nowe i potwierdzone przypadki zakażenia #koronawirus z województw: śląskiego (168), małopolskiego (156), mazowieckiego (146), pomorskiego (89), wielkopolskiego (77), łódzkiego (49), podkarpackiego (46), kujawsko-pomorskiego (31), dolnośląskiego (30),
Indonesia reports 2,197 new coronavirus infections, 82 deaths
Indonesia reported 2,197 new coronavirus infections today, taking the total number of cases to 149,408, data from the country's health ministry showed.
The data recorded an additional 82 deaths, taking the total to 6,500, the highest Covid-19 death toll in Southeast Asia.
08:35 AM
Cycling: Teams who have two coronavirus cases will be out of the Tour de France
Two positive coronavirus cases within a team will result in the outfit being out of the upcoming Tour de France, team staff members told Reuters today.
Several sports directors who will be on the August 29 - September 20 event confirmed a report by cycling website Velonews that the race will be over for teams who are found to have two infected members in their ranks.
"The measure was announced to us at the Criterium du Dauphine," one sports director, who declined to be named because he is not authorised to discuss the matter, told Reuters.
Riders and team staff will be in a bubble from the day they arrive in Nice ahead of the Grand Depart on Saturday.
They will be tested for Covid-19 twice before the race starts and a mobile testing lab will be at their disposal.
UK: Retail sales hit record high as shoppers splurge after lockdown
Retail sales surged to record highs last month as enthusiastic shoppers spent with a vengeance after months of lockdown.
Families bought 3 per cent more in July than they did in February, before the pandemic struck, the Office for National Statistics said.
Pent-up demand combined with improved household finances, as consumers paid down debts and stacked up savings through the lockdown, to boost sales to never-before-seen levels.
Indonesia secures 40m Covid-19 vaccine doses from China
China's pharmaceutical giant Sinovac Biotech has committed to provide up to 40 million coronavirus vaccine doses to Indonesia's government between November and March, a minister has said.
During a visit to China, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said a preliminary agreement had been signed with Sinovac for bulk purchase and supply of the vaccine, CoronaVac, from November to March, after which Indonesia's state-owned Bio Farma would get priority access until end-2021.
Indonesia has recorded 147,211 coronavirus infections and 6,418 deaths and is keen to secure a vaccine for its 260 million people and develop its own, amid concern among some developing countries about competition for access.
"Indonesia sees a strong commitment from China's industries to forge partnerships and a strong commitment from its government to foster those partnerships," she said late on Thursday via video.
Children wearing face shields take part in a "leap frog" race during a performance held as a part of a celebration of the country's 75th anniversary of independence in Tangerang, Indonesia - AP
08:09 AM
Irish PM accepts minister's resignation over Covid-19 breach
Ireland's prime minister has accepted the resignation of Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary after his attendance at a social event which may have breached Covid-19 regulations drew a wave of public anger.
"His attendance at this event was wrong and an error of judgment on his part. I have accepted his resignation," Prime Minister Micheál Martin said in a statement.
"People all over the country have made very difficult, personal sacrifices in their family lives and in their businesses to comply with COVID regulations. This event should not have gone ahead in the manner it did."
08:02 AM
Hong Kong leader announces mass Covid-19 testing to begin on September 1
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said today that mass testing of residents for coronavirus in the Asian financial hub will begin on September 1, as she warned people not to be complacent, despite a steady fall in the number of new infections.
The testing, which will be done with the assistance of a 60 person team from the mainland, is the first time Chinese health officials have assisted the special administrative region in its battle to control the epidemic.
Kids wearing masks to protect against the coronavirus, play beside the water-filled barriers outside the Hong Kong Government Office - AP
07:53 AM
Covid-19 testing in airports is 'under active review'
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said the issue of whether testing for coronavirus could be implemented in airports is "under active review".
Discussing whether there is no possibility of testing at airports, the Transport Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "That's not right. I spoke to John Holland-Kaye, who's the individual you're talking about, the boss of Heathrow, this week. That is not what I'm saying to him at all and we're working closely with him and other airports on potential measures."
Mr Shapps said suggestions that airport testing could halve an individual's quarantine time are not necessarily true, adding: "But we do review these things constantly and every month we review the month that we're taking to quarantining, so these things are under active review.
"It's just that I don't want to sort of bottle false hope by saying it's just as simple as test at the airport ... I often hear this: 'Why you don't you just test at the airport, be done with it?' The answer is because it won't tell you what you need to know."
Watch: Heathrow Airport has set up a new Covid test facility to reduce quarantine time
07:45 AM
Russia's coronavirus cases edges towards 950,000
Russia reported 4,870 new coronavirus cases today, pushing its confirmed national tally to 946,976, the fourth largest in the world.
Authorities said 90 people had died over the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 16,189.
07:37 AM
Irish agriculture minister to resign over Covid-19 breach
Irish Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary is resigning over his attendance this week at a social event with more than 80 people which may have breached Covid-19 regulations, a number of media outlets reported today.
Dara Calleary, Deputy Leader of Fianna Fail pictured at the launch of their general election manifesto in Dublin, Ireland January 24, 2020. - Reuters
Calleary apologised "unreservedly" late on Thursday for attending a hotel dinner hosted by the Irish parliament's golf society, a day after the government significantly tightened nationwide restrictions to try to rein in a spike in cases.
Ireland's Newstalk radio station were first to report that the minister would resign.
07:30 AM
Singapore scientists find coronavirus variant with milder infections
Researchers in Singapore have discovered a new variant of coronavirus that causes milder infections, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal this week.
The study showed that Covid-19 patients infected with a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 had better clinical outcomes, including a lower proportion developing low blood oxygen or requiring intensive care.
The study also showed the variant, which has a large deletion in a part of its genome, elicited a more robust immune response.
The study involved researchers from various Singapore institutions, including the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), the Duke-NUS Medical School and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.
07:12 AM
Transport Secretary: Spain and France unlikely to be re-added to the Government's travel corridor list soon
Grant Shapps told LBC: "At the moment I'm afraid France and Spain have both been going the wrong way.
"So just to put numbers on this, we respond when there are about 20 cases per 100,000 of the population measured over a seven-day rolling average. So 20 is the figure to bear in mind.
"I think that the last that I saw of Spain it was up in the 40s and 50s so a long way off that, and France, who... quarantined from last weekend, I'm afraid to say we were right to do that because we've seen the cases continue to carry on up in France as well.
"And in order to put a country back in to the travel corridor, what we say is it needs to stay below that number for a couple of cycles. So a cycle is two weeks long for coronavirus."
06:53 AM
Public sector borrowing has hit more than £2 trillion for the first time in history
Ministers have invested billions of pounds to support the economy through the pandemic, new figures have revealed.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said official bodies borrowed £26.7 billion in July, the fourth highest amount of any month since records began in 1993.
It pushed debt to around £2,004 billion for the first time ever, and means that the public sector debt is higher than gross domestic product (GDP) - the value of everything produced in the UK in a year.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "This crisis has put the public finances under significant strain as we have seen a hit to our economy and taken action to support millions of jobs, businesses and livelihoods.
"Today's figures are a stark reminder that we must return our public finances to a sustainable footing over time, which will require taking difficult decisions."
06:49 AM
Croatia's ambassador to the UK: 'Regretful' UK did not implement regional quarantine rules
Igor Pokaz told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What we are trying to do in our constant dialogue with the British Government on this particular measure of quarantine is to somehow see whether it would be possible, something that other countries do, to have a more nuanced approach.
"So we regret that it was not possible for the UK Government to consider a regional approach, because in Croatia we have, as I said, witnessed these spikes in certain areas - for example in Zagreb in the capital and maybe among the young population.
"But in Dubrovnik, its surroundings and the islands there were very, very few cases. And I deliberately mention Dubrovnik and the islands as that is where most of the British tourists go.
"And Dubrovnik has its own international airport and is naturally secluded from the rest of the country.
"Germany, as I said, has introduced this model, and has introduced measures for only two of the Croatian counties and we have 20 counties in Croatia."
06:41 AM
Actors 'could use real-life partners for sex scenes' to skirt social distancing rules
Actors could enlist their real-life partners to act as body doubles in sex scenes, under new guidance on covid-safe filming.
The partners could be brought in when a scene demands that characters get closer than the two-metre rules allow.
Directors UK, the professional association of screen directors, has issued a new set of guidelines titled Intimacy in the Time of covid-19.
“In exceptional cases the production might want to consider using a real-life partner as a body double for limited intimate moments (particularly if the partner is a performer and is willing to step into ‘work mode’).
“However, our overall advice would be to avoid imposing on a real relationship just to get a shot; it’s always better to find a creative alternative for the scene.”
Social care staff urged to get flu vaccine to avoid 'potential deadly tidal wave of respiratory conditions' overwhelming NHS
Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation have written to 29 of the biggest social care organisations to raise concerns about the impact flu could have amid any second wave of coronavirus.
The charities, warning of the danger of a possible rise in respiratory conditions which they said could overwhelm hospitals, are urging social care bosses to drive vaccine uptake by making it as easy as possible for staff to get the jab.
All frontline heath and social care workers are eligible for the free flu vaccine this year, with officials planning to vaccinate more people than ever in the coming flu season.
The charities are calling for easy and flexible access for care staff to the vaccination, taking into account different working patterns, suggesting arrangements could be made for staff to be vaccinated on site or giving workers time to visit a community pharmacy or their GP.
The organisations are also calling for national data to be collected on how many social care workers get the flu jab in a bid to improve understanding of uptake and where improvements are needed.
06:36 AM
Transport Secretary: 'It's too difficult to implement regional quarantine rules
Grant Shapps said it would be too "difficult" to implement regional quarantine rules as opposed to removing an entire country from the Government's quarantine exemption list.
"I do sympathise, I've been there myself, I had to actually quarantine myself from Spain after I changed the rules," Mr Shapps told Sky News.
"This is a very unpredictable virus which unfortunately just doesn't play ball as far as the way that it can just sometimes take off in a country and I think anyone travelling this year will know that there are risks involved.
"Indeed, we've added Portugal back on to the list, but you need to go with your eyes open there or anywhere that you travel this year because coronavirus is just a fact of life, we're having to live with it.
"It is still rather too difficult to do the kind of regionalisation that you're talking about because we just don't have the same control elsewhere."
06:33 AM
How to get home from Croatia in time to beat quarantine restrictions
British holidaymakers in Croatia are limited in their options for getting home to beat the quarantine with very few direct flights available on Friday.
They could book a flight with a stopover on the way back to the UK, but that means a journey time more akin to a transatlantic jaunt than a short-haul European getaway.
But those who do not mind a long trek could opt to shun planes altogether and travel the whole way home via the railways.
One potential option, taking around 20 hours, is to board a train in Croatia's capital, Zagreb, and travel through Villach and Salzburg in Austria, Munich in Germany, and on to Paris to catch the Eurostar to London.
Another option would be to leave Zagreb and travel to London via Brussels.
There is also the possibility of leaving Croatia and travelling through part of northern Italy - Trieste, Venice and Milan - and on to the French capital before the final leg of the journey across the Channel to London.
04:38 AM
Nightclubs reopen as pubs to win back customers
Nightclubs are reopening as pubs by putting tables on the dancefloor in a bid to regain customers, a trade body has said.
The Night-Time Industries Association, which represents clubs, bars and live music venues, warned that an estimated 754,000 jobs are at risk in the sector, which is one of the few that is yet to be given a roadmap for reopening.
A survey of venues that have been able to repurpose themselves to reopen found that just under 70 per cent had revamped as a pub or bar.
Mask breach forces Delta to ban man who said he killed Osama bin Laden
A former Navy Seal who has said he killed Osama bin Laden has been banned by Delta Air Lines after removing his mask during a flight.
American Robert O'Neill tweeted about his ban on Thursday, and the airline confirmed the action.
"Part of every customer's commitment prior to traveling on Delta is the requirement to acknowledge our updated travel policies, which includes wearing a mask," the airline said.
Mr O'Neill posted a selfie showing himself, with no mask, on a flight on Wednesday from Minneapolis to Newark, New Jersey.
Other passengers in the photo, including a man across the aisle who was wearing a Marine Corps hat, were wearing masks.
Virus threatens traditional kimono artisans' future
Japanese artist Hiroko Takahashi - REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Japanese artist Hiroko Takahashi fought through sexism and suspicion from traditional kimono artisans to establish a globally known brand that sold hundreds of her original garments every month - until the coronavirus devastation hit.
Ms Takahashi has tried to regroup by selling handmade masks sewn from kimono fabric.
But the masks are a long fall from her original business.
Ms Takahashi, who this year was part of an exhibit at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, has taken a major hit in her income. Her yukatas started at ¥60,000 (£430) and kimono at ¥3 million, but the masks sell for just ¥1,400 each.
Coronavirus could devastate the kimono industry, where ageing artisans - each specialising in one stage of the process - are finding it impossible to envision future work.
A recent survey by Aeru, a company promoting traditional crafts, found that unless demand improves, about 40 per cent of artisans may be forced to quit by the end of the year.
"If a fabric-maker goes under there's nothing to dye, and if the dyers quit we can't make kimonos," Ms Takahashi said.
"If one goes down, we all do."
12:50 AM
French children to return to classrooms on September 1
French President Emmanuel Macron says the country will send millions of students back to school on September 1, despite the biggest weekly spike in virus infections in months.
France's national health agency reported 4,771 new infections on Thursday, and more than 18,000 new cases in the past week - the biggest weekly rise since April.
The increase is attributed to summer vacation parties, family gatherings and clusters in workplaces as people return to work.
Concerns are mounting among teachers and parents that schools cannot keep the virus at bay.
A leading teachers union asked the government this week to delay the start of the school year.
11:59 PM
Singing in church no more dangerous than shouting in a pub: study
Singing in church is no more dangerous than shouting in a pub when it comes to spreading coronavirus, a study has found.
Researchers from the University of Bristol said speaking and singing generate similar amounts of tiny particles of liquid called aerosol droplets - which are thought to carry Covid-19 - when sound volumes are the same.
They added that the amount of droplets rise as people speak or sing more loudly. And the team found the loudest level generated up to 30 times more aerosol mass than the lowest.
Covid claims more than a quarter of a million lives in Latin America
The number of reported Covid-19 deaths in Latin America has passed 250,000, as the virus continues to devastate the region that has become the worst affected in the world.
The grim milestone was passed as Brazil reported 1,204 deaths from the virus in the past 24 hours, according to the country's health ministry.
Over the past week, the region has reported more than 3,000 deaths a day.
According to a Reuters tally, daily caseloads continue to rise in Peru, Colombia and Argentina.
Brazil is battling the world's second-largest outbreak - behind only the United States - with the virus killing more than 112,000 people in Latin America's largest nation.
11:53 PM
Optimism as cases decrease in Australia's Covid-19 hot spot
A woman walks her dog on Brighton beach in Melbourne - JAMES ROSS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The Australian state of Victoria has reported its lowest daily rise in new coronavirus cases in more than five weeks, fuelling optimism that the spread of the virus has further eased.
Victoria, which has become Australia's Covid-19 hot spot, logged 179 new cases in the past 24 hours, compared with 240 a day earlier.
The state reported nine deaths from the virus.
A flare-up in infections forced authorities to impose a nightly curfew and shut large parts of the state's economy, but new daily cases have slowed in recent days, allaying fears of a nationwide second wave.
11:15 PM
US adjusts assessment of China's role in Covid-19 outbreak
"Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news, but in the case of local health officials in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in January, their reticence in coming forward with the truth may have been a decisive factor in allowing the coronavirus to inflict havoc around the world.
"China’s Communist leadership has come under fire globally for its mishandling of the early days of the pandemic, but a more nuanced consensus is now emerging that a cover-up by lower level officials was, in fact, the fatal error that allowed the highly infectious virus to spiral irreversibly out of control."
Portugal out of quarantine, but 'too late' for summer
Holidays to Portugal are back on after the Iberian nation was added to the Government's "green list" on Thursday, but Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago were struck from quarantine-free travel.
Ministers made the decision to act after coronavirus rates in Britons’ third-most popular holiday destination fell to 14.4 cases per 100,000 people, well below the benchmark used to assess risk.
The changes will come into force at 4am on Saturday, setting a 34-hour deadline for thousands of Britons to return home before the mandatory 14-day quarantine comes into force.
Holidays to Portugal are back on after the Iberian nation was added to the Government's "green list" on Thursday, but Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago were struck from quarantine-free travel
Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.
Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab join forces to recap the draft in the best way they know how: letter grades! Fitz and Frank discuss all 32 teams division by division as they give a snapshot of how fans should be feeling heading into the 2024 season. The duo have key debates on the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and more.
