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  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Image copyright AFP Image caption The National Art Museum of Barcelona. Spain has seen a surge in Covid-19 cases recently Spain has said outbreaks of new Covid-19 cases are isolated and under control after the UK abruptly ordered people coming from the country to quarantine. Infections have risen sharply in parts of Spain recently as restrictions were eased. Some regions have taken measures including making face masks mandatory. "Spain is safe for Spaniards and for tourists," the foreign minister said. Contagion among young people, who have been gathering in larger numbers, appears to be a particular worry. France and Germany have also both seen new cases rise, as nations grapple between staving off fresh outbreaks and reopening economies. The UK's move to require arrivals from Spain to self-isolate for 14 days came into effect on Sunday, just hours after the change was announced, angering travellers and travel operators. The airline industry reacted with dismay, calling it a big blow. The UK's biggest tour operator, Tui, has cancelled all mainland Spanish holidays until 9 August. British Airways is still operating flights, but said the move was "throwing thousands of Britons' travel plans into chaos". However, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab defended the "swift" decision. Spain has more than 272,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases and some 28,400 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University research, and is one of the European countries worst-affected by the virus. The number of cases there has tripled in two weeks, with more than 900 new infections reported on Friday. How does Spain compare in Europe? Its rate of cases per 100,000 people is currently at 39.4, according to the European Union's European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). This compares with the UK's rate of 14.6. Spain is now comparable with Sweden and Portugal, but rates there are falling while Spain's is on the rise. Covid-19 cases per 100,000 14-day cumulative number in selected countries Romania (59.7) and Bulgaria (44.8) are considerably higher. Luxembourg is far higher, but the number there may be skewed by its small population. As seen in other countries reporting a spike in infections, the majority of new cases in Spain seem to be restricted to a few regions, including Catalonia, where Barcelona is located, and Aragon. On Sunday, Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya said the outbreaks were "perfectly controlled" and that they had been expected once the restrictions were lifted. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Passengers about to return to the UK from Madrid Airport spoke of their frustration "Half of those who are Covid positive in Spain are asymptomatic, which gives a very clear indication of the huge efforts that all the regions in Spain are undertaking to test for Covid in its citizens," she said. Ms González said the Canary and Balearic Islands, which are popular with tourists, have not recorded a resurgence in infections, insisting they were "very safe territories". She added that the authorities would try to convince the UK government to exclude them from quarantine. London's decision to reintroduce quarantine restrictions on travellers from Spain is a new, devastating blow for the country's tourism industry. "We know what British tourism means for our country, and particularly for our region," said the vice-president of Andalusia, Juan Marín. He described it as "very bad news" particularly for the Costa del Sol, where many British tourists tend to spend their holidays. The numbers of British tourists who have come to Spain this summer are much lower than normal, but there are still thousands of holidaymakers here who have been surprised and frustrated by the UK's decision. Some tourist hubs had already been affected by the recent spike in coronavirus cases. This weekend, the Catalan government ordered the temporary closure of all nightclubs, as it attempts to stem the spread of the virus among young people, which has been a particular problem. Are others taking measures over Spain? French Prime Minister Jean Castex has "strongly recommended" that French citizens avoid going to Catalonia. Norway has reimposed a 10-day quarantine on people arriving from Spain. Belgium has banned travel to Huesca and Lleida, with recommendations against travel to a number of other areas in Spain. Germany has not imposed any measures against those arriving from Spain specifically, although the government advises tourists against travel to the Balearic Islands, Navarra, Catalonia and Aragon. Earlier this week, the government announced all travellers would be able to voluntarily access free coronavirus tests after arriving in Germany. 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Image copyright EPA Ryanair has said it will continue its flights in and out of Spain as normal, despite the UK government's decision to impose a 14-day quarantine on travellers arriving from the country. Neil Sorahan, Ryanair's chief financial officer, told the BBC: "The schedules remain in place." The travel industry has been plunged into confusion by the quarantine rule, which was announced over the weekend. Airlines have called it a "big blow", throwing travel plans into chaos. But speaking on the BBC's Today programme, Mr Sorahan said: "As things stand, the market remains open, the schedules remain in place and we continue to operate in and out of Spain as normal." He added, however, that Ryanair was keeping its entire operation "under consideration" as it builds back its route network post-lockdown. 'Biggest fear' Earlier, Ryanair revealed that it had fallen into loss in the first three months of the financial year after what it called the most challenging period in its history. With more than 99% of its fleet grounded because of the pandemic, the airline reported a loss of €185m (£169m) over the April-to-June period, compared with a profit of €243m a year earlier. Ryanair said it expected to clear more than 90% of refunds for cancelled flights by the end of July. The airline said it was impossible to predict how long the coronavirus pandemic would persist. "A second wave of Covid-19 cases across Europe in late autumn (when the annual flu season commences) is our biggest fear right now," it added. Airlines have been struggling because of global travel restrictions aimed at halting the spread of the coronavirus. In May, Ryanair announced it was set to cut 3,000 jobs across Europe. However, earlier this month, the company revealed that it had cut a deal with the Unite union, including temporary pay cuts, so that UK cabin crew jobs would be safeguarded. The airline later said it was shutting its base at Frankfurt Hahn airport after German pilots voted to reject pay cuts. Rivals slated In its latest results statement, Ryanair repeated its criticism of rival airlines for receiving what it called "illegal state aid" to stay in business. "Many other airlines are cutting capacity, with the result that air travel in Europe is likely to be depressed for at least the next two or three years," it added. "This will create opportunities for Ryanair... to grow its network and expand its fleet, to take advantage of lower airport and aircraft cost opportunities that will inevitably arise." The airline said the challenge of Brexit, and in particular a no-deal Brexit, remained high. Image copyright EPA Image caption The UK announced a surprise 14-day quarantine for travellers from Spain on Saturday It said it hoped that the UK and EU would agree a trade deal for air travel that would allow the free movement of people and the deregulated airline market between the UK and Ireland to continue. "As an EU airline, the Ryanair Group should be less affected by a no-deal Brexit than UK registered airlines. We still, however, expect adverse trading consequences to arise," the airline said. "Ryanair has put the necessary measures in place to ensure that the group remains majority EU owned, including restricting voting rights of non-EU shareholders, in the event of a 'hard Brexit'". Ryanair said it remained a committed supporter of the "game-changer" Boeing 737 Max plane, which was grounded last year after two crashes killed all 346 people on the flights. It was due to take delivery of its first 737 Max planes more than a year ago and still hopes to do so before the end of 2020. The US aviation regulator has started formal test flights for the troubled plane after Boeing overhauled its flight control system. 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Monday morning. We'll have another update for you at 18:00 BST. 1. Obesity strategy It's not a new problem, but coronavirus has put fresh impetus behind the need to tackle the nation's obesity crisis. Figures show being overweight puts you at significantly greater risk of falling seriously ill. That's why the government is unveiling a wide-ranging strategy - specifically for England, but with some UK-wide measures - to help people shed the pounds. A ban on "buy one, get one free" deals on unhealthy food, restrictions on advertising, and calorie counts on restaurant menus - our story has all the details. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The people tackling obesity during lockdown 2. Spain quarantine Labour is calling for government support for people who suddenly find themselves required to quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the UK from Spain. It warns there's no guarantee employers will allow them to work from home. Labour also wants financial support for the aviation industry, hit so hard by the pandemic. We've heard from many holidaymakers upset at the sudden change in policy regarding Spain, and here we outline your rights if you had a trip booked. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Raab: Quarantining workers "ought to be treated sympathetically" 3. Tattoos and treatments A significant easing of lockdown restrictions has come into force in Wales, with cinemas, museums, beauty salons and tattooists allowed to reopen. The housing market has also fully restarted, and driving lessons can resume. The Welsh government has resisted calls to make face coverings mandatory, but they are now required on public transport - although not in shops. Read the new rules in detail. Image copyright Jules Lee Image caption "Tattooists are one of the cleanest places you can be," says Jules Lee 4. How bad will winter be? It might only be July, but winter is coming and there are fears that coronavirus will surge when the seasons change. However, predicting what a Covid winter will look like is complex and uncertainty reigns. Our health correspondent James Gallagher says there are reasons both to be worried and to be reassured. 5. Students return University campuses were shut down when the pandemic hit, but the first students are beginning to return for face-to-face teaching. Veterinary students at the University of Nottingham are the pioneers for how things will look across the UK in the autumn. Bars are closed and masks are commonplace, but the university is working hard to find the positives and the students say they're just delighted to be back with friends after months cooped up at home. Image caption The trainee vets say they're relieved to be back after the long lockdown Get a longer news briefing from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning, by signing up here. And don't forget... You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page and get all the latest in our live page. Plus, flu vaccines will be more important than ever this year, and of course, the hope is that a vaccine for coronavirus itself will be developed eventually. But how do you persuade anti-vaxxers to get a jab? What questions do you have about coronavirus? In some cases, your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy. Use this form to ask your question: 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Image copyright Reuters Image caption Crowds of curious locals gathered outside the US diplomatic mission American diplomatic staff have left their consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu, after a 72-hour deadline expired. China ordered the closure in response to the US closing the Chinese consulate in Houston, Texas, last week. Before Monday's deadline, staff were seen leaving the building, a plaque was removed, and a US flag was lowered. China's foreign ministry said Chinese staff entered the building after the deadline and "took over". A US state department spokesperson said: "The consulate has stood at the centre of our relations with the people in Western China, including Tibet, for 35 years. "We are disappointed by the Chinese Communist Party's decision and will strive to continue our outreach to the people in this important region through our other posts in China." As the US consulate closed, crowds of local residents gathered outside, with many waving Chinese flags and taking selfies. Last Wednesday the US ordered the Chinese consulate in Houston to close, alleging that it had become a hub for spying and property theft. Tensions have been escalating between the two countries over a number of issues: US President Donald Trump's administration has clashed repeatedly with Beijing over trade and the coronavirus pandemic Washington has also condemned the imposition by China of a controversial new security law in Hong Kong Last week, a Singaporean man pleaded guilty in a US court to working as an agent of China Also last week, four Chinese nationals were charged in a separate case with US visa fraud for allegedly lying about serving in China's military Image copyright EPA Image caption Workers began to remove the diplomatic plaque from the US consulate on Sunday What happened in Chengdu? Chinese state media showed pictures of lorries leaving the US consulate, and workers removing diplomatic insignia from the building. On Monday morning, state broadcaster CCTV posted a video online of the US flag being taken down. Dozens of Chinese police were deployed outside the building, urging onlookers to move on. However, boos were heard when a bus with tinted windows left the building on Sunday, the AFP news agency reports. When Chinese diplomats left their mission in Houston last week they were jeered by protesters. The Chengdu consulate - established in 1985 - represented US interests over a vast area of south-western China, including the autonomous region of Tibet, where there has been long-running pressure for independence. The majority of the diplomatic mission's more than 200 employees were hired locally. Image copyright AFP Image caption Police were guarding the premise from onlookers With its industry and growing services sector, Chengdu is seen by the US as providing opportunities for exports of agricultural products, cars and machinery. After the mission's closure the US will have four consulates in mainland China and an embassy in the capital Beijing. It also has a consulate in Hong Kong, the former British colony. What happened in Houston last week? China lost its Houston mission last week, but still has four other consulates in the US and an embassy in the capital Washington DC. After a 72-hour deadline for Chinese diplomats to leave the Houston consulate expired on Friday, reporters saw men who appeared to be US officials force open a door to enter the premises. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Men using a hose and closing rubbish bins at China's consulate in Houston US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo explained the Houston closure, saying Washington had acted because Beijing was "stealing" intellectual property. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin responded that the US move was based on "a hodgepodge of anti-Chinese lies". Why is there tension between China and the US? There are a number of things at play. US officials have blamed China for the global spread of Covid-19. More specifically, President Trump has alleged, without evidence, that the virus originated from a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan. And, in unsubstantiated remarks, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said in March that the US military might have brought the virus to Wuhan. The US and China have also been locked in a tariff war since 2018. Mr Trump has long accused China of unfair trading practices and intellectual property theft, but in Beijing there is a perception that the US is trying to curb its rise as a global economic power. The US has also imposed sanctions on Chinese politicians who it says are responsible for human rights violations against Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. China is accused of mass detentions, religious persecution and forced sterilisation of Uighurs and others. Beijing denies the allegations and has accused the US of "gross interference" in its domestic affairs. 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Image copyright Reuters Image caption Officials have been carrying out health checks in Da Nang neighbourhoods Vietnam has closed Da Nang to tourists after four new locally transmitted coronavirus cases were recorded, the country's first since April. No tourists can enter the city for 14 days and extra flights are being laid on to fly out up to 80,000 visitors. Vietnam has been lauded as a success story of the pandemic having acted early to close borders and enforce quarantine and contact tracing. It has recorded just over 400 cases and no deaths. But nearly 100 days after its last locally transmitted case, four new cases emerged in Da Nang, a central coastal city popular with domestic tourists. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Monday ordered Da Nang residents to re-implement social distancing and close all non-essential services. He said the response had to be "decisive" but that he was not yet ordering a total lockdown of the city. Links between cases unclear The first new case - patient 416 - was a 57-year-old man who sought medical care on 20 July for flu symptoms. He is now on a ventilator and, according to doctors quoted in local media, in a critical condition. Officials say they do not yet know where he contracted the virus and that he had not recently left the city. Contact tracing identified more than 100 people who had interacted with the man, but all returned negative tests. However over the weekend, three more cases were confirmed, including one 17-year-old from neighbouring Quang Ngai province who had travelled home on a coach with people who had been at the Da Nang C Hospital. Image copyright EPA Image caption People in Hanoi are being asked to wear masks again after months without Authorities have not yet commented on links between the four cases. Da Nang C Hospital sealed its doors in response to the first diagnosis and Da Nang is reinforcing prevention measures. Non-essential businesses have been ordered to close and gatherings of more than 30 people are banned. Tourism travel has been suspended for 14 days. With international travel largely impossible, Da Nang had been promoted as a holiday destination for Vietnamese people. Officials say up to 80,000 domestic tourists are in the city, so extra flights are being laid on to take them home. People may be asked to quarantine on their return, according to media reports. Hospitals across the country have also stepped up preventative measures, while the capital, Hanoi, has begun urging people to wear masks in public again. Domestic football matches were also suspended on Sunday. The new cases are a significant setback for Vietnam, which has been proud of its success in containing the virus. It closed its borders to almost all travellers except returning citizens early on in the pandemic and requires anyone entering the country to quarantine in government facilities for 14 days and undergo testing. Most of its cases have been detected in quarantine. An extensive contact tracing and testing operation also meant it was able to quickly quash local outbreaks. It has so far recorded only 420 cases and no patients have died. Its most famous patient, a British man who spent 68 days on a ventilator, was able to travel home earlier this month. 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Everyone over 40 would start contributing towards the cost of care in later life under radical plans being studied by ministers to finally end the crisis in social care, the Guardian can reveal. Under the plan over-40s would have to pay more in tax or national insurance, or be compelled to insure themselves against hefty bills for care when they are older. The money raised would then be used to pay for the help that frail elderly people need with washing, dressing and other activities if still at home, or to cover their stay in a care home. The plans are being examined by Boris Johnson’s new health and social care taskforce and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). They are gaining support as the government’s answer to the politically perilous question of who should pay for social care. Sources say the principle of over-40s meeting the cost of a reformed system of care for the ageing population is emerging as the government’s preferred option for fulfilling the prime minister’s pledge just over a year ago to “fix the crisis in social care once and for all”. Social care is a devolved matter but the plans could apply to the whole of the UK as they may involve the tax system. 'Eat Out to Help Out' risks undermining obesity campaign, say experts Read more Matt Hancock, the health and social care secretary, is a keen advocate of the plan. He has been championing it in discussions that have resumed recently about the government’s proposals to overhaul social care. Officials say there is a “renewed urgency” in Downing Street and the DHSC to come up with a solution. The system that officials are considering is a modified version of how Japan and Germany fund social care. Both are widely admired for having created a sustainable way of financing social care to deal with the rising needs an ageing population brings. In Japan everyone starts contributing once they reach 40. In Germany everyone pays something towards that cost from the time they start working, and pensioners contribute too. Currently 1.5% of every person’s salary, and a further 1.5% from employers or pension funds, are ringfenced to pay for care in later life. Older people in Germany who have had their needs assessed can use the money to pay carers to help them with personal tasks at home, or for care home fees or even to give to relatives and friends for helping to look after them. Adopting a similar approach would let Johnson say he has ended the situation whereby some pensioners deemed too wealthy to qualify for local council-funded care have to sell their homes to pay care home costs, which can exceed £1,400 a week. One source with knowledge of the government’s deliberations said: “The latest thinking is that there’s a preference for some sort of Japanese-style model where once you are over 40 you start paying into a central risk pool. They are deadly serious about that.” Officials are looking into the exact mechanism by which over-40s would pay – whether through a payroll tax or insurance. But social care experts cautioned that any insurance model would have to be compulsory to ensure people paid. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Boris Johnson promised to ‘fix the crisis in social care once and for all’ in his first speech as prime minister. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images The Conservative MP Damian Green also sees payments by over-40s as the way to resolve the funding question. However, the Treasury is understood to harbour doubts about moving in that direction. “There are vast differences of opinion within government about this,” the same source said. And it risks angering a generation who will have paid, or still be paying, off their student loans and may have a mortgage and the costs of rearing children to meet. But a shift to over-40s paying more looks likely to find favour with campaigners. Caroline Abrahams, the charity director at Age UK, said: “Some older people may look askance at the idea of only the over-40s paying to fund a new national care system. However, if that’s what our government is considering embracing here than it may be rather a good deal, since that system offers a level of provision and reassurance that we can only dream of here at the moment. Introducing a comprehensive and reliable system like that in Germany and Japan would “arguably [be] an appropriate act of national atonement after the catastrophic loss of life we’ve seen in care homes during the pandemic”. The ex-Liberal Democrat MP Paul Burstow, who was social care minister in the coalition government from 2010-12 and is now chair of the Social Care Institute for Excellence, said: “Introducing an insurance contribution from the over-40s would help put social care on a firm footing for the future. This approach has already been adopted in other countries on a mandatory basis to ensure risk is fairly spread and sufficient funds are raised.” Whatever social care reform is decided upon needs to “avoid the lottery of huge lifetime care bills”, he added. This month Sir Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, increased the pressure on ministers to solve the social care crisis. In an interview on BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show on 5 July to mark the 72nd anniversary of the service’s creation, he said: “I would hope that by the time we are sitting down this time next year, on the 73rd birthday of the NHS, we have actually, as a country, been able to decisively answer the question [of] how we are going to fund and provide high-quality social care for my parents’ generation.” His intervention is thought to have irritated ministers. A Whitehall source said: “As we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic some of the issues that were put on pause during it – like obesity and social care – have come back on stream. The social care problem has been around for ages and there is a renewed focus now on getting it fixed.” 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Top story: US records 1,000 daily deaths for five days running Morning everyone. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the stories you need to know about today. British holidaymakers face the prospect of more changes in the rules governing overseas travel after ministers defended the decision to impose quarantine restrictions on people returning from Spain. As thousands of stunned tourists grappled with the implications of the new rules, foreign secretary Dominic Raab apologised for the disruption but said it might be necessary to impose more sudden restrictions on other countries. A surge in new coronavirus cases in Spain prompted the UK decision to introduce the new restrictions, but the government in Madrid insisted yesterday that it was still safe to visit despite a newspaper investigation claiming the nation’s death toll is 60% higher than officially reported. Closer to home, 21 new cases have been confirmed at a caravan park in Shropshire. On a more positive travel note, fear of flying during the pandemic is leading to a revival in demand for sleeper train services across Europe. The United States has recorded more than 1,000 deaths a day from Covid-19 for five days running, due largely to a huge rise in cases in southern and western states. There are now 4.2 million cases nationwide and almost 150,000 deaths. Senate Republicans are expected to unveil a $1tn stimulus package for the economy later today but the White House said the $600 unemployment payments would not be extended when they run out this week. Pacific islanders living in the US are 10 times more likely to contract Covid-19 than some other groups, according to analysis for the Guardian, while there is mounting concern about the outbreak in Papua New Guinea. In Australia, a record number of new cases was recorded in the past 24 hours, China reported its biggest number since April and new daily cases in India topped 50,000 for the first time. Catch up with all the overnight developments from around the world on our live blog. ‘Lose weight and save the NHS’ – Hancock has also been promoting the government’s new obesity strategy, calling on overweight people to lose 5lbs to save the NHS money. Boris Johnson will signal an end to confectionery displays at store checkouts and ban junk food adverts on TV before 9pm when he unveils the plans today. He will also begin a consultation on a total ban on junk food ads online. Care costs – Ministers plan to solve Britain’s social care crisis by making everyone over 40 contribute to extra money to cover the costs when they are older. Matt Hancock, health secretary, is believed to be arguing for increased taxes or a compulsory insurance scheme for the over-40s as a way of heading off a potential collapse in the system as the population ages. it would be based on the widely admired Japanese system for covering aged care costs. Chengdu closure – Crowds of people waving Chinese flags have gathered near the US consulate in Chengdu as officials prepared to remove its official plaque and lower the Stars and Stripes just days after Washington and Beijing each ordered the other to close a diplomatic mission. Police moved in to stop people making offensive gestures towards the consulate, which was one of seven dotted around China. One passerby launched into a nationalist chant and was quickly silenced. ‘Necessary evil’ – The rightwing US Republican senator Tom Cotton has called slavery “the necessary evil upon which the union was built”. A possible future presidential candidate, the senator made the comments in a newspaper interview as he tries to build support for legislation that aims to prohibit use of federal funds to teach the 1619 Project, an initiative from the New York Times that reframes US history around the arrival of the first slave ships in America. Powering on – Britain could record negative carbon emissions from its electricity system as soon as 2033 if producers adopt carbon capture technology alongside more renewable energy to reach its climate targets. The possibility is revealed today by the network’s operator, National Grid, in a report that also foresees 30m electric vehicles, 8m heat pumps to replace household gas boilers and the rollout of more wind, solar and hydrogen energy. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Olivia De Havilland in Gone With the Wind. Photograph: Selznick/MGM/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Last of the line – Olivia de Havilland, the last remaining star from Hollywood’s golden age, has died at the age of 104. The actor, who won two Oscars in the 1940s, was best known for her role in Gone With the Wind. But her portrayal of demure women concealed a steely core that she employed to sue Warner Brothers and help break the notorious vassalage of the Hollywood studio system. Our film critic, Peter Bradshaw, has written a sparkling appreciation of her career, taking in her romance with Errol Flynn and her famous feud with her sister, Joan Fontaine. There is also a chance to see her life in pictures and read her obituary here. Today in Focus podcast Children as young as 11 are becoming problem gamblers as apps and websites make betting easier than ever. Jenny Kleeman investigates how it has been allowed to happen. Today in Focus Are we creating a generation of problem gamblers? Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen https://audio.guim.co.uk/2020/07/26-75307-200727TIFgamble2.mp3 00:00:00 00:25:31 Lunchtime read: Rick Stein: ‘I still really doubt myself’ Facebook Twitter Pinterest Rick Stein and his wife Sarah Burns at their home in Australia. Photograph: Cliff Kent/REX/Shutterstock The celebrity chef Rick Stein talks about the difficult decision to close a restaurant and lay off staff during the pandemic, getting “stranded” in Australia for the lockdown, his two marriages and how his father’s bipolar disorder has affected his life (“I think he took it out on me”). Sport Ole Gunnar Solskjær has taken a swipe at his critics after leading Manchester United back into the Champions League, saying their gloomy forecasts had driven him on. An emotional Dean Smith paid tribute to his late father Ron, who died of Covid-19 at the end of May aged 79, after securing Aston Villa’s Premier League survival on a pulsating final day of the season. Stuart Broad put England into a dominant position in the third Test at Old Trafford and on course for a series victory over West Indies after a dominant third day. At the Oval, 1,000 club members trialled socially-distanced spectating at Surrey for the first time since the Covid-19 shutdown. Andy Murray is still “apprehensive” about travelling to New York during the pandemic but says he has switched on “mentally” to playing in the US Open at the end of next month. Juventus won the Serie A title for the ninth successive season after goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Federico Bernardeschi earned a 2-0 win at home to Sampdoria. And Carol Glenn, the first black woman to become a UK race official, has told the Guardian of the years of discrimination she has endured in the motor sport industry. Business The UK’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis could take 18 months longer than expected with hopes of a V-shaped recovery fading fast, according to a leading economic forecaster. One business that was suffering even before lockdown, Debenhams, has been put up for sale in a last-ditch effort to avoid liquidation. The FTSE100 is on track for a very slight rise this morning while the pound has climbed to $1.282 and €1.097. The papers The sudden change of rules about overseas travel is the lead in most of the papers. The Guardian says “Tourists may face more ‘handbrake restrictions’” and the Times has “Holidays in turmoil as quarantine is imposed”. The i says “Government stands firm on changes to travel rules”, while the Express goes with “Millions facing holiday chaos” and the Mirror has “Holiday hell for millions of Brits”. It’s the same story in Scotland where the Scotsman has “Sturgeon under fire over Spain quarantine decision” and the Record reckons it’s a “Spain in the neck”. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Guardian front page, Monday 27 July 2020 Photograph: The Guardian The Mail deviates with “‘No way back for Harry & Meghan’” and the Telegraph promotes the government’s obesity strategy with “Lose 5lbs and save the NHS £100m”. The FT’s main story is “Europe’s banks braced for more loan losses from Covid-19 crisis”. Sign up The Guardian morning briefing is delivered to thousands of inboxes bright and early every weekday. If you are not already receiving it by email, you can sign up here. For more news: www.theguardian.com 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 08:03 Wearing face coverings does not appear to lead people to abandon hand hygiene, researchers say, suggesting people may not trade off the benefits of one public health measure against another. Face coverings are now mandatory in many parts of the world, and in England must be worn not only on public transport but also in many shops. While there is little evidence that cloth face coverings protect the wearer from Covid-19, experts say a growing body of research suggests they help to reduce transmission, limiting its spread from wearers to others. Some scientists have raised concerns that the use of face coverings could give wearers a false sense of security and make them less likely to engage in other behaviours that could reduce the spread of coronavirus, such as handwashing and social distancing – a phenomenon known as “risk compensation”. However, researchers say they have looked at existing studies and found little sign that wearing masks reduces adherence to hand hygiene. 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Junk food adverts could be banned entirely online, after the government’s decision to bar any unhealthy food advertising before 9pm online or on television, as part of its strategy to tackle the “time bomb” of obesity. The measures have been cautiously welcomed though some health experts are concerned they place too much emphasis on individual responsibility for obesity, rather than addressing health inequalities. The government has said it will ban junk food adverts before 9pm and launch a short consultation on whether that should be extended to a blanket ban on adverts for sweets and fast food online. Other measures include a ban on chocolates, crisps and sweets at the checkout and displaying calories on menus in restaurants and pubs, including for alcoholic drinks, which are estimated to account for nearly 10% of the calorie intake of those who drink. Prof Andrew Goddard, the president of the Royal College of Physicians, said the approach had not been as all-encompassing as some medics had hoped for, saying it had not taken fully into account how obesity was “the result of biological, genetic and social factors” and not just personal choice. “There is a risk that we once again fall into the trap of mainly focusing on individual responsibility,” he said. “We’ve been down this path before and it doesn’t work. We know the key to success in addressing obesity and other health inequalities lies in shared responsibility between individuals and the state.” The decision to ban junk food adverts has been highlighted as a significant success for obesity campaigners. Unveiling the new package of measures, Boris Johnson and the health secretary, Matt Hancock, underlined how tackling obesity was a new front in the fight against coronavirus, warning that excess weight put victims at risk of more severe illness and death. The new measures will include a public information drive aimed at improving the country’s health after the pandemic. Almost two thirds of adults in England are overweight or obese, as well as one in three primary school age children. Launching the strategy, the government called obesity “a time bomb” and said the urgency of tackling the issue had been underlined by the evidence of an increased risk from coronavirus. Nearly 8% of critically ill patients with Covid-19 in intensive care units have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population. To promote the lauch, No 10 released a photograph of the prime minister, who says he has lost a stone since he was hospitalised with Covid-19, walking his dog, Dilyn, in the grounds of Chequers. According to analysis from Cancer Research UK, almost half of all food adverts shown on ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky One were for products high in fat, sugar and salt, rising to almost 60% between 6pm and 9pm when they are most likely to be viewed by children. Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said endless adverts for junk food provoked cravings and normalised bad diets, “which is why we have been campaigning relentlessly for a TV watershed, online restrictions and multi-buy ban”. Caroline Cerny from the Obesity Health Alliance, a coalition of more than 40 organisations, called it a “landmark move” and said it was “taking the spotlight firmly off junk food and ensuring only healthier foods can be promoted on TV, online and in our shops as well as providing more support to help people manage their weight”. Food products on promotion will also be targeted after research showed 43% of food and drinks placed strategically by checkouts were sugary. Discounts on high-fat and sugar items will be discouraged in favour of discounts on fruit and vegetables. Some campaigners have suggested that the government should also have ordered a reformulation of highly calorific products. Johnson has long been a sceptic of the sugar tax, singling out the soft drinks levy as a “sin tax” during his leadership campaign. Under Theresa May, Hancock had drawn up plans for a “milkshake tax” targeting surgary milk drinks aimed mainly at children. Katharine Jenner, the campaign director at Action on Sugar called it a “missed opportunity that mandatory targets for reformulation ie removing unnecessary calories, sugar and salt from products have been excluded from Boris [Johnson]’s announcement along with their proper enforcement. Furthermore, it’s absurd that the highly successful soft drinks levy has not been extended to other unhealthy sugar foods and drinks.” Calorie labelling will apply to chains for the most part, as well as any other cafe or takeaway with more than 250 employees. Hancock said: “When you’re shopping for your family or out with friends, it’s only fair that you are given the right information about the food you’re eating to help people to make good decisions.” Hancock described supermarket promotions as “unhelpful influences”. NHS services will also be expanded to help Britons lose weight, including doctors being incentivised to tell patients they are overweight and to prescribe exercise. Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said the plans were ambitious because the need for action was “the clearest it has ever been”. She said: “The main reason we put on weight is because of what we eat and drink, but being more active is important too. Making healthier choices easier and fairer for everyone, and ensuring the right support is there for those who need it, is critical in tackling obesity.” PHE pointed to research showing that adults typically consumed 200-300 extra calories a day above recommended daily guidelines. Announcing the strategy, Johnson said: “Losing weight is hard but with some small changes we can all feel fitter and healthier. If we all do our bit, we can reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus – as well as taking pressure off the NHS.” Johnson had promised in his leadership campaign he would put an end to the state “nannying or bossying”. But the prime minister has suggested his own experience in intensive care with coronavirus had been one of the main reasons for his adopting a more interventionist approach regarding obesity. 

  Published Date: 2020-07-27 

 Annual Gallup survey casts doubt on Mike Pompeo’s claim that the US is ‘perfectly positioned’ to lead the free world in rivalry with China Germany by far most admired country, with US, China and Russia vying for second – global poll Germany is the most admired country in the world for the third year running, leaving the US in a tight battle for distant second place with China and Russia, according to a new global leadership poll. The annual poll, conducted by Gallup, casts more doubt on US secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s claim on Friday that the US was “perfectly positioned” to lead the free world in a new ideological rivalry with the Chinese Communist Party. The US had a 33% global approval rating for 2019, just one percentage point ahead of China and 3% ahead of Russia. Germany outshines all three by a long stretch, with a 44% rating. Biden holds daunting lead over Trump as US election enters final stretch Read more The survey of a thousand adults in each of 135 countries was carried out around the world in 2019, before coronavirus struck. Washington’s global standing could suffer even further in light of its mismanagement of the pandemic, which has left the US as one of the worst hotspots for the disease. Donald Trump has frequently claimed that he has made the US respected again in the world, but the poll figures suggest the opposite. The US was the most admired country in the world for every year of the Obama administration except one (when it came a close second to Germany in 2011), but then its popularity plummeted 18 percentage points after Trump’s took office, recovering marginally after that at just over 30%. “[W]hen you read the latest results in this report on how the world rates the leadership of major global powers, the leaders who presented the case for the most certainty did the best,” said Gallup’s editor-in-chief, Mohamed Younis. “Longtime German chancellor Angela Merkel, loved or hated, has been one of the most predictable leaders in highly uncertain times in both Europe and the global order.” Younis added that coronavirus could erode America’s stature even more: “The image of US leadership in particular could seriously suffer as the globe watches US states and the federal government struggle to get infection rates under control.” US leadership approval is at its lowest among the country’s traditional allies in Europe, where 61% disapprove of its performance and just 24% approve. In the UK, the figures are 65% disapprove - 25% approve, with a similar outcome in France. In Germany, US stature is even worse: 78% disapprove and only 12% admire the leadership coming from Washington. In Australia too, there was deep scepticism about the US, with 67% disapproving compared with 23% approval. The only continent where the US has maintained an overall positive image is Africa, where a bare majority of 52% approved its conduct, but that too is way down from the 85% backing Africans gave to the US in 2009, just after Barack Obama’s election.