Croatia looks likely to be dumped from the UK's quarantine-free list this week unless new Covid-19 cases fall in the next few days.
The country has seen its seven-day case rate rise to 21.4 per 100,000, up from 7.8 a week ago and beyond the threshold of 20 which the Government has said may trigger restrictions. A further 199 cases were reported on Tuesday, up on the previous day's figure of 85 and equivalent to 47.8 per 100,000 over a one-week period.
A weekly review of the quarantine-free list is expected on Thursday. Should Croatia be ejected, British travellers will have even fewer summer holiday options that don't involve two weeks of self-isolation on their return to the UK. Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Malta, Monaco, Andorra, Luxembourg, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Aruba have already been removed.
A handful of other countries with travel corridors are edging towards the Government's threshold, including Denmark (18 new cases per 100,000), Switzerland (17), and the Czech Republic (
15.5). Fears have also been raised about holidays in Greece, but with a case rate of
13.8 per 100,000 during the last week they appear safe for now.
See below for the latest updates:
04:02 PM
That's it for today
Here's what we learnt on Tuesday, August 18:
Croatia remains on the cusp of being ejected from the UK's quarantine-free list
Geneva is offering free spending money if you stay for at least two nights
Ryanair and EasyJet are cutting capacity, but Wizz Air is expanding
Heathrow has become very quiet now France and Spain have been removed from travel menus
And, er, Namibia has warned its citizens against using elephant dung as a cure for Covid
Have a very pleasant evening one and all.
03:42 PM
Austria extends travel warning to include Balearics
Austria is expanding its travel warning for the Spanish mainland to include the Balearic islands, such as Mallorca and Ibiza, because of an increase in coronavirus infections there, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Tuesday.
The travel warning for the popular tourist region will take effect on Monday, meaning that people arriving in Austria from that day will have to present a negative coronavirus test or else go into quarantine until they are tested.
03:41 PM
Is Turkey a safe bet for summer?
One country we've not looked at today is Turkey. Its seven-day case rate is very similar to Britain's (10.1 per 100,000), making it a good option for a last-minute holiday.
03:32 PM
A postcard from Southend-on-Sea, where peace exists beyond the broiling bodies
With some believing the country’s laissez-faire Covid strategy has given its population at least some degree of herd immunity, infection rates in Sweden have been falling. As of August 16, it is on the right side of the Government’s quarantine threshold of 20 new cases per 100,000 people over the previous week (19.4). Given much of the media’s efforts to demonise the country’s methods, the chances of a travel corridor being announced by Grant Shapps and co this week are all but zero. But if the Government is slavishly sticking to its quarantine criteria with the likes of France, shouldn’t we be permitted to head to Stockholm for a mask-free city break?
A host of other countries are well below the 20 barrier, but don’t have a travel corridor. They include Belarus, that other lockdown-free outlier – though, admittedly, not a top-notch holiday destination (7.3 per 100,000), the United Arab Emirates (18.2), Portugal (14.2), Bulgaria (14.2), Cuba (3.6), Nicaragua (3.2) and Georgia (2.4), among dozens of others. The Government might say that it doesn’t trust the testing standards in places like Belarus – and it would have a point – but that excuse doesn’t hold water for the likes of Portugal and Sweden.
Earlier today (1234pm) we reported that Croatia was the new Mediterranean magnet for super-yacht enthusiasts. It seems further evidence of this status has emerged.
AFP reports that Hungary's foreign minister has been accused of lying after he was spotted on a yacht in Croatia while posting social media pictures appearing to show him hard at work in an office.
According to the investigative journalism news site Atlatszo.hu, Peter Szijjarto was photographed on Sunday aboard a luxury yacht in Croatia owned by a leading businessman.
In Facebook messages on Thursday and Sunday, however, Szijjarto, alongside images of himself in office settings, said he had been busy telephoning EU counterparts to discuss the crisis in Belarus.
Opposition parties accused the minister of lying and called for his resignation.
03:00 PM
VisitEngland announces annual awards
With many of us swapping overseas holidays for domestic breaks, VisitEngland's annual Awards for Excellence is likely to generate even more interest than usual.
So here are a few of the winners:
B&B and Guest House of the Year
Gold: The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon; Silver: St Cuthbert’s House, Northumberland; Bronze: Haven Cottage, Cumbria.
Large Hotel of the Year
Gold: The Ned, Greater London; Silver: Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire; Bronze: Southampton Harbour Hotel & Spa, Hampshire
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Gold: Old Royal Naval College, Greater London; Silver: The Roman Baths & Pump Room, Somerset; Bronze: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Hertfordshire
Pub of the Year
Gold: The Baskerville, Oxfordshire; Silver: Three Horseshoes Pub & Kitchen, Dorset; Bronze: The Howard Arms, Warwickshire
Taste of England Award
Gold: The Dining Room – Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa, Wiltshire; Silver: John's House, Leicestershire; Bronze: Restaurant Hjem, Northumberland
A postcard from Barbados, where tourists are being welcomed with open arms
You must present evidence of a negative test to visit Barbados (more on how to do thathere), but the island is open to tourists. Sarah Ellis found quiet beaches and a warm welcome. Read her full report.
Wish you were here? - Getty
02:43 PM
Spain tries to reassure visitors
Visitors to Spain must currently self-isolate on their return to Britain, but the country is still keen to flout its Covid-safe credentials and illustrate how most cases are found in northern regions. UK director of the Spanish Tourist Office, Javier Piñanes, said:
The evolution of the pandemic varies dramatically from region to region but the local and regional authorities are taking swift and forceful measures to deal with localised outbreaks. Based on data from August 17, around two out of three of all new infections over the previous 14-day period were concentrated in four main Spanish regions: Catalunya, Madrid, Aragón and the Basque Country.
There is full coordination between the national and regional governments in Spain to control and monitor the pandemic. On a national level, last Friday (14 August) Spain announced the closure of nightclubs, as well as further guidelines for restaurants and bars regarding opening hours and social distancing. Additionally, various Spanish regions have demonstrated extra measures. Some regions for example have committed to paying for the visitor's prolonged stay if they are forced to undertake a quarantine in Spain (such as in the Canary Islands and the region of Valencia) whilst others have established ‘bridging accommodation’ to isolate positive cases.
In terms of the outbreaks, according to our Ministry of Health, most of these have been detected from family gatherings, private parties, or in nightclubs with a large concentration of people; followed by outbreaks in a work setting. As such, these are settings which the visitor typically does not need to encounter.
02:31 PM
Merkel issues warning as cases in Germany rise
Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned there could be no further relaxation of coronavirus restrictions while Germany grapples with a rise in cases.
Germany has reported an average of well over 1,000 new cases a day, compared with around 350 in early June. However, its seven-day case rate remains similar to that of the UK, so there is no risk of it being removed from Britain's quarantine-free list, and deaths are still low (just four were reported on Tuesday).
Much of the rise has been blamed on returning holidaymakers as well as parties and family gatherings.
02:18 PM
Croatia reports 199 new cases
To avoid falling from the UK's quarantine-free list, Croatia needs case numbers to fall. Unfortunately for those hoping to visit, a further 199 positive test were reported on Tuesday – up on the previous day's figure of 85.
Its seven-day case rate, 21.4 per 100,000 from August 10-16, now looks unlikely to fall below the key threshold of 20 before the Government's weekly review of the quarantine-free list on Thursday.
02:08 PM
Qatar Airways isn't taking any chances
Fancy wearing this contraption? How about for 12 hours? Our reporter, Annabel Fenwick Elliott is on her way to the Maldives. Here's what Qatar Airways has asked her to wear.
'With my trip to Portugal cancelled, I managed a last-minute Greek escape'
Despite the Government's best efforts, Victoria Harper and her family bagged themselves a last-minute break in the Med. Read the full story.
Now that does look lovely - Getty
01:49 PM
Go to Switzerland, get free money
An innovative way to boost tourism has emerged in Switzerland. Geneva Tourism has introduced the Geneva Gift Card, gifting visitors to the city 100CHF (£84) to spend at a range of hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and attractions when staying for two nights or more. Perhaps they've been looking on at Rishi Sunak's Eat Out To Help Out scheme with envy.
For details on participating establishments, and how to apply,follow this link. Switzerland remains on the UK quarantine-free list.
01:41 PM
How to get a Covid test for your holiday
An increasing number of countries, including Cyprus and Barbados, are now demanding arrivals present evidence of a recent negative coronavirus test. How simple is it to get one? Emma Beaumont has the answers.
01:39 PM
'Travel industry needs more Government support'
The consumer publication Which? has responded to the news that Ryanair and EasyJet are axing thousands of flights scheduled for September and October.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said:
With Ryanair reducing its flight schedule and EasyJet withdrawing from a number of airports popular with holidaymakers, it's clear the coronavirus outbreak continues to pose a huge threat to thousands of upcoming flights, and to the future of the travel sector more generally.
EasyJet has committed to contacting anyone whose flight is affected with advice on their options, which include re-routing or receiving a full refund. Ryanair must follow suit, and ensure that if it is cancelling flights or intending to move the dates or departure airports for any affected flights, that it is communicating any changes well enough in advance, and letting customers know when they are entitled to a full refund.
The UK's travel sector has been battered by the restrictions placed on international travel through this crisis. The government must step in with support for the industry where appropriate, to ensure the future of international travel and to enable operators to fulfill their legal obligations to customers on refunds for cancellations.
Don't they look lovely A photographer goes in for a closer look
01:25 PM
Namibia warns citizens against using elephant dung as a cure for Covid
The Namibian government has warned its citizens not to trust claims on social media that elephant dung can cure coronavirus.
Romeo Muyunda, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism told Reuters that the government had observed that elephant dung was increasingly being marketed as a cure for Covid-19.
“We have seen on social media people selling elephant dung at exorbitant prices. There is a whole hype around it,” he said.
In an interview with The Namibian newspaper, Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula said: “If anybody claims as such, it must be treated as a false claim”.
What Britons will miss most about holidays in France
What will Britons be missing in France? Polite people and better food, says Anthony Peregrine. He writes:
If British visitors to our French home are anything to go by, Britons will also be missing the formal politeness of everyday French life – all that “Bonjour Msieur-dames”, beret-raising, elbow-bumping and general distancing of the menace of the mateyness favoured in Anglo-Saxon zones. (Try “Good day, ladies and gentlemen!” as you enter a British shop; they’ll have you sectioned.) The possibility of strolling city centres by night – yes, even on Saturdays – without being mugged, vomited upon or happening on people slumped in shop doorways, is another feature of French life envied by people who haven’t visited an evening-tide British town centre since they were 23.
Control a Telegraph Travel expert in the Faroes at 2pm
A reminder that we are giving you a rather unique opportunity this afternoon.
You can actually control a Telegraph Travel expert – instructing them where to go and what to do – at 2pm today (ten minutes from now).
Getty
Our writer Sarah Marshall is in the Faroe Islands. Get in the queue now usingthis link – and enjoy.
12:41 PM
Celia Walden experienced the dark side of the Côte d'Azur...
Celia Walden reflects on her unfortunate burglary on the French Riviera:
Celia Walden with her husband, Piers Morgan
The Côte d’Azur has long been “a sunny place for shady people,” as Somerset Maugham once put it. But today it’s as much of a burglar’s playground as a billionaire’s, and the tactics these organised gangs are using are becoming increasingly sophisticated. For years, thieves stuck to a basic but efficient plan: they would wait outside famous restaurants such as Club 55 and follow anyone wearing particularly expensive watches and driving particularly expensive cars back to their homes.
In the early Noughties the gassings started. Between 2002 and 2018 everyone from Trinny Woodall and footballer Patrick Vieira to ex-F1 driver, Jenson Button, former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond and ordinary British holidaymakers in camper vans were knocked out (using gas pumped into the air-conditioning vents) and cleaned out on the Riviera.
This year the police assured me they hadn’t dealt with any gassings. This year, as what they called “the seasonal activity” reached fever pitch, they were most concerned with the drones many burglary victims had seen flying over their homes days before break-ins. Drones which were being used to case the joint. Drones like the one my husband had seen hovering over the back garden a week before the burglary.
Jill Kirby speaks out against the UK's quarantine rules:
As to the draconian post-holiday quarantine rules, it’s hard to see how they can possibly be enforced. Will the police mount a countrywide campaign, stopping and questioning anyone who looks as if they might have been abroad lately? In practice, and based on enforcement rates to date, the likelihood is that the law will be flouted. But making unenforceable threats based on illogical demands will rapidly bring the law into disrepute and leave the Government struggling to be taken seriously.
As testing improves, rates in this country may well exceed 20 in 100,000. What then? Will everyone in Britain be put under house arrest? We have to learn to live with this virus for the foreseeable future; imposing arbitrary rules will only damage public confidence and dampen any hope of social and economic recovery.
Our reporter, Annabel Fenwick Elliott, is at Heathrow Airport and has found things surprisingly quiet compared to last week.
Compared to just a week ago, #heathrow is DEAD. Well done FCO, for kicking a dog when it’s already down. Selfishly, however, this makes for a splendid airport experience pic.twitter.com/BIpY0czD4y
What's more, the experience is, she says, a delight for introverts like herself.
Are you an introvert? Then there are boundless perks to the new airport normal. A glass dividing you from other humans. Ordering food via a QR code. Social interaction at a bare minimum... #heathrow#newnormal#COVID19pic.twitter.com/XZS6ku46R2
Cases appear to be under control in Portugal, which has been on the Government's quarantine list since the measure was introduced in June. Here's the latest graph of daily cases:
The number of cases per 100,000, based on the weekly average between August 10 and August 16, is 14.2.
This is lower than countries like Denmark, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, which all have "travel corridors" meaning holidaymakers can go without having to quarantine on return. It is also lower than the threshold of 20 cases per 100,000, which the Government is allegedly using to inform its quarantine policy.
The Government is due to review its travel corridors list on Thursday.
11:52 AM
The lost-in-the-past region of Crete that's perfect for today's escapists
It's as if eastern Crete was designed for the socially-distanced post-lockdown era, says Heidi Fuller-Love.Read the full story.
Expect plenty of solitude - Getty
11:39 AM
River cruises are returning
Telegraph Travel's cruise expert Jane Archer reports that TUI River Cruises has announced a date for its first post-lockdown voyage:
More fabulous #cruise news. @TUIUK TUI River Cruises is getting going. Its first voyage, on the #river ship TUI Isla, departs November 26. That's in just 100 days so get booking fast! TUI Skyla and TUI Maya join their sister in April 2021, #cruising from Frankfurt and Budapest. pic.twitter.com/q0ZaPp11SN
Who isn't worried about the prospect of a quarantine for Croatia? Super-yacht owners.
Bloomberg has the story:
Forget Spain for a summer holiday overlooking the Mediterranean. Croatia and Turkey are the up-and-coming destinations for international super-yachts.
With some European countries reimposing restrictions to avoid another Covid-19 flare-up, the ultra-rich are abandoning some of their traditional mooring spots. At least 63 mega-yachts are now sailing off Turkey, the most since 2017 and up from 26 at this time last year, according to tracking data.
Croatia and Greece are attracting more super-yachts too, with their numbers also at three-year highs. The largest vessels in Croatia are Roman Abramovich’s 533-foot Eclipse, the fourth-longest yacht in the world, and the 381-foot Ulysses, owned by New Zealand’s richest man, Graeme Hart.
Eclipse, the private luxury yacht of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich - Getty
11:25 AM
Is Italy a safe bet for summer?
While France and Spain have been removed from the quarantine-free list, and Croatia is tipped to join them, cases remain low in Italy. It might just be your safest option for a last-minute summer holiday.
11:19 AM
Meanwhile, over in Wuhan...
Social distancing doesn't seem to be a problem any more in the city where Covid first reared its head.
People watch a performance as they cool off in a swimming pool in Wuhan - Getty
11:12 AM
Japanese Emperor cancels holiday
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and his family have cancelled their annual trip to a summer resort, citing social distancing challenges.
Every year, the imperial family visits Nasu, an area of forest, mountains and hot springs, about 110 miles north of Tokyo.
But the getaway was cancelled because a large crowd usually gathers to catch a glimpse of them, and travel involves a large staff and security, the Imperial Household Agency said.
'French quarantine decision cost me £13,560 in a matter of hours'
Expat B&B owner Rebecca Jones is counting the cost of the UK's trigger-happy quarantine policy:
As I bustled around the château kitchen preparing breakfast on Friday morning I could hear the cancellation emails pinging into my inbox one after another. That afternoon as I processed them all, I watched the earnings column of our spreadsheet tick down - €15,000 (£13,560) gone. Our calendar went from fully-booked for August and September, to empty in two hours.
We worry too about the effect that our lack of customers will be having on the other local business that we support. The boulangerie where we buy fresh bread and croissants each morning, the little family-run blanchisserie that helps with our laundry, the tiny local winemakers that keep our cellars stocked– they will all be hit by this downturn too. It’s hard not to feel slightly responsible, despite it all being very much out of our control.
In March, the country suspended the entry of non-citizens in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus. However, in recent weeks residents have gradually been allowed to return. Tourists are now able to travel to Dubai, but they face similarly stringent conditions.
British airlines call for airport testing to open up routes
Charles Hymas reports that Britain's biggest airlines have written to Boris Johnson, urging him to introduce German-style Covid-19 tests at airports to enable passengers to bypass quarantine or risk losing lucrative trade routes.
The chief executives of British Airways, TUI, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic said testing offered the best prospect for opening up transatlantic trade routes with the US by allowing passengers from "high risk" states to travel freely to the UK.
They warned that travel from the US for overseas and UK business and leisure travellers was otherwise untenable under 14-day quarantine when the average length of stay for US visitors was 6.47 nights.
They pointed out that many countries, including Germany, France, China, India, UAE and Iceland, had moved quickly to introduce tests and Britain risked falling behind if it did not follow suit.
With the removal of France from the quarantine-free list, options are dwindling:
10:40 AM
Honk for Hope
A mascot of Jones coaches of Llandeilo during the Honk For Hope UK protest in Cardiff against the lack of government support for the coach industry - Getty
10:34 AM
Where to have a mask-free holiday
Need a breather? Head north, not south.
10:33 AM
The weird mask rules awaiting visitors to Spain
Thinking of ignoring the FCO guidance and heading to Spain? Beware its mask rules. They are the strictest in Europe, but also the most confusing.
According to the most risible rule of all, you can now be fined for not wearing a face mask when you're walking down the street, regardless of how many other people are around or how close they are to you. Juxtaposed with the lax regulations in bars and restaurants, this results in some truly surreal situations. To take just one: my girlfriend lives above a bar that's packed, inside and out, most nights of the week. When we head down for a few tapas at the weekends, we're legally obliged to don a mask to cross the two-metre patch of pavement that separates her apartment building from the bar. But once seated on the crowded terrace, surrounded by unmasked strangers, we can take them off. Whichever way you look at this combination of severity and laxity, it's senseless.
So has the mask wearing done Spain any good? It appears not. Its infection rate is among the highest in Europe, prompting the FCO to remove it from the quarantine-free list, and still rising.
10:19 AM
How the Four Seasons forged its future in London, 50 years ago
Hugh Morris spoke to the founder of Four Seasons, Isadore Sharp, about how the company's London hotel became the prototype for all future properties. Read the interview in full.
The Four Seasons Hotel on Park Lane is 50 years old
10:07 AM
South Africa ends alcohol ban
Spare a thought for South Africans. For months the sale of alcohol and cigarettes has been banned in the country, with authorities claiming it would ease pressure on hospitals. Now restrictions are finally being lifted.
Bars will also be allowed to re-open, and both family gatherings and social visits will be permitted. A 10pm curfew remains in place, however, and the wearing of face coverings is still compulsory in public spaces. International borders are to stay closed for the time being and gatherings are still capped at 50 people.
While Ryanair and easyJet are cutting services, Wizz Air keeps expanding. This morning it announced a new base at Gatwick Airport.
The airline will allocate a Airbus A321 aircraft to the London hub and offer four routes to Athens, Naples, Lanzarote and Malta. Flights start on October 22 with fares from £21.99.
Owain Jones, Managing Director of Wizz Air UK, said: "Already the fourth largest airline group operating in the UK, today's announcement of our new Gatwick base and four new routes reinforces Wizz Air UK's position as a British airline that is growing, creating new jobs, bringing much-needed connectivity to the UK and so helping the economy get back in the air."
09:58 AM
When will Spanish holidays return?
Not this summer, by the looks of it. The country's seven-day case rate is 60.9 per 100,000, up from 55.3 last week and well in excess of the UK's quarantine threshold of 20.
09:46 AM
Ibiza minus the crowds
A pair of sunseekers in Ibiza this week. Much of Europe, including the UK, have imposed restrictions on trips to Spain and the average hotel occupancy on the island is below 50% - Getty
09:40 AM
Where should I go for a last-minute holiday?
I've been asked this question a few times recently. People are understandably reticent to head overseas in case their holiday turns into an unexpected two-week quarantine.
The following travel corridor countries have seen 8 or fewer new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people over the last week, and are open to UK tourists:
Bermuda (8 per 100,000)
Slovenia (7.4)
Norway (7)
San Marino (5.9)
Lithuania (5.7)
Italy (5.5)
Slovakia (5.3)
Barbados (4.2)
Estonia (2.8)
Jamaica (2.7)
Finland (2.7)
Latvia (1.4)
09:31 AM
'Control' a Telegraph expert on a remote tour of the Faroes at 2pm today
Here's a novel idea. Our reporter Sarah Marshall is currently in the Faroe Islands, and at 2pm is inviting readers to explore the destination through her eyes. She explains: "Via the online tech of a Remote Tourism tool, you can use your keypad to guide me around, turning left, right, forwards and back. I’ll even jump if required." Find out more.
Join a remote tour of the Faroe Islands - Getty
09:28 AM
Croatia blames late-night revellers for rise in cases
As you'd expect, Croatia isn't too happy about the possibility of being placed on the UK's quarantine naughty step and says the situation is now under control.
Darija Reić, director of the Croatian National Tourist Office in London, told Telegraph Travel:
The spikes which have been recorded recently are linked to nightlife, and on August 13 the Croatian government and the Croatian Civil Protection Authority introduced new measures which restrict the working hours of bars and nightclubs to midnight.
Furthermore, the venues are adhering to specifically designed Covid-19 protocols to help maintain the highest standards of sanitation and hygiene in venues and we are confident that this further tightening of measures will contribute to the decline in the number of new infections.
Additionally, the spikes have happened in certain areas/regions [largely around Zagreb and Split] – the majority of the country remains unaffected.
The Croatian government is making all the necessary decisions and its absolute priority is to maintain a positive and safe epidemiological situation in the country, for citizens and tourists alike.
09:19 AM
Alcatraz reopens
The former prison island of Alcatraz has reopened to the public for the first time in months. Only 750 visitors will be allowed per day. - Getty
09:13 AM
Heading to Greece? Don't forget the passenger locator form
Last week we reported on confusion over Greece's online passenger locator form, introduced to aid the country's test-and-trace efforts. All arrivals must fill out the form at least 24 hours before departure, giving details about where they will stay during their time in Greece. A QR code, which can be scanned by Greek authorities upon arrival, is then sent via email.
However, dozens of travellers have already been caught out – with many forced to fork out thousands of pounds for new flights – while others have reported a lack of guidance from airlines and contradictory advice.
It seems many are still encountering problems:
@ollysmithtravel Hi Oliver, following on from your article about the Greek PLForm, I just cannot even get @British_Airways to respond to my related query. So nothing seems to have changed here. We’re caught in Kafkaesque nightmare. Well worth a follow up as this is appalling. https://t.co/vUBqVk9pu9
@annabelmaud@ollysmithtravel at T5 BA staff acknowledge that everyday theyre turning away families who don’t have QR codes for Greece. @British_Airways will email u to sell u car hire but won’t email to say that rules to Greece gave changed👏 and what is @foreignoffice doing?
— Libya, Middle East & UK Affairs (@affairs_me) August 18, 2020
09:07 AM
Are Greek holidays at risk?
There has been plenty of talk about Greece's rising case rate. It saw just 4 new cases per 100,000 residents during the seven-day period July 27 to August 2 – that rose to 13.8 for August 10 to 16. For the moment it remains below the Government's 20 per 100,000 threshold, but will need to keep a lid on infections if it wants to stay on the quarantine-free list.
Great that you mention our Prison Island. I noticed a bloke from the UK, a doctor who has been a PR here and was heading back home forever to work in the NHS, but was knocked back. Peter Dutton [Minister for Home Affairs] decided that he had to stay locked up here. He was in a bad spot, because he’d given up his job and moved out of his rental. No idea where the wife and kids are sleeping at the moment.
08:51 AM
Cases fall in Victoria
Australia's second most populous state, Victoria, reported its lowest daily rise in new coronavirus cases in a month on Tuesday.
It recorded 17 Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours, a day after recording its deadliest day of the pandemic with 25 casualties. It reported 222 cases compared with 282 on Monday.
'A crowd-free Amalfi was extraordinary. We're going abroad again in September'
We asked readers to tell us about their first post-lockdown holidays.
Of his trip to Italy, Chris Harding said:
Needing to get away, primarily from the relentless gloom from all points of the media in the UK, we whizzed off to Italy.
Whilst confusing and randomly enforced, the forms for departure and re-entry were not a problem. Any doubts at our impulsive jaunt were soon alleviated by the extraordinary experience of beautiful Amalfi, crowd-free and completely welcoming to Brits. All waiters, shopkeepers and hotel staff wearing masks and safety procedures seemed exemplary.
Wearing a mask in indoor public areas and taxis soon becomes second nature. Amazing weather, uncrowded and joyful beaches (gosh, do the Italians love the beach!) superb restaurants, some quite busy but easy to book and delighted to serve. Could not have enjoyed our week more and plan to head off to Greece in September – why not, a holiday (or two) is just what we all need at the moment.
A postcard from bustling Brighton, a tight-knit city defying the downturn
New hotels like the Selina are opening on the south coast, giving a sense of optimism in difficult times. Teresa Machan has the story.
The 31-room Selina opened last week
08:27 AM
'Missing travel? I got my fix witnessing a solar spectacle'
Who needs Spain and France? A trip to the Surrey Hills helped Ashwin Bhardwaj recapture a sense of freedom.
Comet Neowise is a dirty snowball of ice and dust, hurtling around our Sun once every 6,800 years. As comets approach the Sun, they heat up and emit streams of dust and gas, which appear as tails. Most are too dim to be seen from Earth, and when Neowise bloomed in early July, it was something of a surprise. Light pollution still made it hard to see the comet from London, so I headed out to the Surrey Hills for a better view.
The following countries are currently on the "travel corridor" list but have seen cases rise above 14 per 100,000 (over the past seven days):
Faroe Islands (161.7)
Gibraltar (35.6)
French Polynesia (35.6)
Croatia (21.4)
Denmark (18)
Switzerland (17)
Czech Republic (15.5)
Austria (14.2)
Trinidad and Tobago (14.2)
08:16 AM
'Without tourism we'd be worse off'
Croatia's tourism minister, Vili Beros, has defended the decision to throw the doors open to foreign tourists this summer in an interview with RTL:
The tourist season is in full swing, 830,000 tourists are in our country and an increase in the number [of Covid infections] was to be expected.
We've made life and tourism possible. Without tourism, which is one of the more important branches of our economy, everything would be far worse than it is now. We've purposefully accepted this risk.
Covid-related deaths remain very low – only eight have been reported in the last week – but cases have risen steadily, setting off alarm bells in Whitehall. Transport Minister Grant Shapps recently said that 20 new cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period was the threshold for quarantine restrictions. Croatia's figure is currently 21.4.
08:02 AM
What happened yesterday?
Before we dive into today's updates, here's what we learnt yesterday:
Ryanair is cutting flight capacity for September and October. After Spain and France were ditched from the UK's quarantine-free list, few will be surprised
EasyJet is also closing its Stansted, Southend and Newcastle bases
The first major post-lockdown Mediterranean cruise has set sail from the Italian city of Genoa
Italy has shut down its nightclubs following a rise in coronavirus cases among young revellers
Anguilla is planning to welcome tourists from November
Amanda Holden, 53, looked sensational as she showed off her latest outfit to host Heart FM despite "not being able to find a top" as she opted for just a bra and jacket
The arrival of the US M1A1 Abrams tanks in Ukraine was hailed as a turning point in the war. Coming in at roughly $10 million a unit, the Nato stalwart was supposed to provide the armoured fist that would punch through the Russian lines. But tactics evolve quickly in warfare, and Russia’s use of surveillance and hunter-killer drones has led to heavy casualties for Ukraine’s tank fleets. This is alarming for NATO. If Russia has found critical vulnerabilities in our armour, our borders are beginni
The moment was filmed by a Pollok resident who was left disgusted after spotting the vermin from her kitchen window in the Templeland Road area of Glasgow.
Following the latest Channel tragedy on Tuesday when five people, including a seven-year-old girl, died, one local French mayor squarely blamed Britain.
Leo Varadkar left his job as Irish prime minister last month with compliments being lavished on him from all directions — especially the White House — for his triumph over Brexit Britain in forcing the retention of an open land border on Northern Ireland.
Prince William made a surprise visit to a school in the West Midlands today, where he issued a 14-word update on his wife, Kate Middleton, amid her cancer treatment
Vida was treated by vets for lacerations which saw its coat soaked in blood but Quaker was in an equine hospital with its future "not looking good", sources said
A man gave his dying dog a chocolate bar – a treat dogs love but that is toxic to them – as a final gesture of love before she was put to sleep on April 23.Footage recorded by Miller Hurtado Toro shows his dog Sharon enjoying the tasty sweet before she was injected with euthanizing drugsToro told Storyful that Sharon was 12 years old and had been fighting the tick-borne canine disease ehrlichiosis for two years.“We tried to take her to find more treatments, but they saw that she had lung cancer, with metastases in her lungs and liver that were making her weak from just lying down,” Toro said.“The day before yesterday, she could not get up again, and that is when I made the decision,” he explained.Toro said he had often denied Sharon a taste of chocolate as the candy is notably bad for dogs’ health, but that he thought she should try it as her final treat.“No dog should leave without first trying chocolate,” Toro said. Credit: Miller Hurtado Toro via Storyful
Callum Laing, 40, was diagnosed with a stage 4 Glioblastoma brain tumour, after he had been suffering from intense headaches - but surgeons in Edinburgh have made a surprising discovery.
