| UK hotel quarantine 'less strict than Australia' |
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Documents seen by the BBC suggest the quarantine rules for passengers arriving in the UK from coronavirus "red list" countries - which come into effect on Monday - will be less strict than those enforced by Australia . That country's use of hotels to isolate overseas travellers is seen as the "gold standard" internationally, writes the BBC's science editor, David Shukman. But while Australia has strictly governed the movement of people once inside the hotels, the UK looks set not to follow its example. For instance, while Australian rules do not allow guests to mix with security staff, the UK will allow people to be escorted outside for "a smoke or fresh air". There are other differences around meal deliveries and what kind of protective equipment security and hotel staff should wear - with the UK only saying surgical masks should be used, compared with the more protective N95 ones used in Australia. The government here says it has "shared expertise" with Australia on hotel quarantine, but our correspondent says questions will be raised about whether the lessons learned are being followed.
For more on hotel quarantine, we have an explainer here. We've also looked at whether "vaccine passports" may be required in future for international travel, or if you may need to look closer to home for a holiday. |
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| Australia's Victoria enters third lockdown |
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| UK economy 'firing on all cylinders' by spring |
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| The Bank of England's chief economist has predicted that the British economy will surge back from the latest coronavirus lockdown, thanks to the vaccine programme and large amounts of "pent-up financial energy". Writing in the Daily Mail , Andy Haldane said the economy was like a "coiled spring" and that due to the number of vulnerable people who would have been vaccinated, restrictions could be eased so that people were socialising and spending by the summer. The UK economy is set to shrink by 4.2% in the first three months of 2021. Mr Haldane added that unlike in previous recessions people had strengthened their finances and may consider a new TV, car or house. | |
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| |  | | | The mysterious "Putin's Palace" that featured in a viral video by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appeared to be full of luxuries gifted to President Vladimir Putin by wealthy friends. But then Russian TV broadcast a completely different report. Gone was the sprawling palace's voluptuous decor, replaced instead by bare, concrete walls. The property looked as if it was being thoroughly rebuilt - raising questions about what exactly is happening at the estate. The Kremlin vehemently denies the palace claims, and President Putin has labelled it "boring" and a "compilation and montage". But BBC Russian has spoken to several builders who confirmed many of the allegations in the Navalny video - including that the palace was being rebuilt in part due to a mould infestation. | |
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| | Anastasia Napalkova, Timur Sazonov, Anna Pushkarskaia | BBC News Russian | |
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| | | | The Duchess of Sussex's victory in her High Court legal battle against the Mail on Sunday is the lead story for several papers. The Guardian reports that a summary judgement in Meghan Markle's favour was granted, following the publication of extracts from a "personal and private" handwritten letter to her estranged father. Elsewhere, the Times leads with a warning that social distancing will remain in force in the UK until at least the autumn, while the Metro reports on one scientist's view that Covid transmission rates are still too high to consider easing lockdown. But the Sun strikes a more positive note, reporting that over-65s will be called for their Covid jabs from Monday. We've got more from Friday's papers in our full review. | |
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| | | US Convict Trump or it could happen again, trial told. |
| | | | Uighurs China bans BBC World News from broadcasting. |
| | | | Stonehenge Did the building blocks come from Wales? |
| | | | Quiz Seven questions about the week's news. |
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| If you watch one thing today |
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| If you listen to one thing today |
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| If you read one thing today |
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| Need something different? |
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| When Northern Irish singer JC Stewart recorded a parody video of the theme tune from the TV sitcom Friends during lockdown, it went viral, and while it might have brought JC Stewart to worldwide attention, BBC Music reporter Mark Savage writes that he was already on his way there. Elsewhere, an "absolutely horrifying" amount of roadside litter led 84-year-old Ursula Pethick to embark on a daily campaign - in all weathers - to clean up Robertsbridge, East Sussex. We went along to find out more. | |
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