UK Edition
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Covid hospital numbers inflated at height of pandemic
Hospital admissions for Covid-19 were over-reported at the peak of the pandemic, with patients who were taken in for other illnesses being included in outbreak statistics, it has emerged. An investigation for the Government's Science Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) found that people were being counted as Covid hospital admissions if they had ever had the virus, and were added to those being admitted directly due to it. Government figures show that, at the peak of the pandemic in early April, nearly 20,000 people a week were being admitted to hospital with coronavirus, but the true figure is unknown because of the problem with over-counting. The oversight echoes recent problems with the data for Covid-19 deaths, in which it emerged that thousands of people who died of other causes were being included in coronavirus statistics if they had once tested positive. Read how there are also wide discrepancies between NHS England admissions data and the Government's daily tally.
Meanwhile, ministers have finally put holidays to Portugal back on the table after removing the country from its "red list" of nations requiring quarantine. Ministers made the decision to act after coronavirus rates in Britain's third most popular holiday destination fell to 14.4 cases per 100,000 people, well below the benchmark used to assess risk. However, travellers heading to Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago will need to self-isolate for 14 days if they do not arrive back in the UK before 4am on Saturday, when the changes come into force. Yet travel industry insiders warned that the Government's action may have come "too late". Click here for the full list of countries exempt from quarantine.
Private school pupils are 'winners' from grade inflation
Privately educated pupils were the biggest winners from this year's GCSE grade inflation, figures suggest, with subjects like astronomy, geology, engineering and economics seeing the largest increases in top grades. Fee-paying institutions are more likely to be able to offer a larger range of GCSE subjects than state schools. The humiliating A-level upgrade forced on ministers led to 99.7 per cent of all exams being passed – and nine times fewer failures than last year. Indeed, GCSE results day saw the highest grades since records began as education experts insisted that the "Covid generation" deserved their marks and should not be "written off". Cartoonist Bob summed up the mood on the Government's handling of A-level and GCSE grades.
Expect more 'extreme' weather as UK hit by high winds
Dramatic swings between "extreme" weather events are to become more frequent as a result of global warming, forecasters have warned, after Storm Ellen unleashed 66mph winds. Britain has seen the weather lurch from a heatwave to heavy rain and flooding and high winds in the past two weeks – a pattern that is expected to feel less remarkable in the future. Almost 194,000 homes and businesses in Ireland were hit by power cuts and roads were blocked by fallen trees when Storm Ellen arrived. Winds of up to 66mph were recorded in South Wales and today the country is expected to be lashed by what the Met Office described as "unusually strong winds for August". Read on for details.
At a glance: More coronavirus headlines
- Food processing plants | 900 staff and families ordered to isolate
- Coronavirus liveblog | Protective antibodies 'last only a few months'
- WHO chief | Young people feel 'invincible' and are ignoring rules
- Social distancing | Actors 'could use real-life partners for sex scenes'
- Big dip | Can Britain's theme parks withstand the Covid rollercoaster?
Also in the news: Today's other headlines
'Off the scale' bias | The BBC is at the centre of a fresh impartiality row after Newsnight's policy editor wrote an article for a Left-wing magazine attacking the Government's handling of the exam crisis. Goodall, a former Labour activist who previously worked for the Left-wing Institute for Public Policy Research think tank, laid the problems at the door of the Prime Minister's senior adviser in the piece for the New Statesman. The article was signed off by BBC management, who insisted that it was within impartiality guidelines. Read on for details.
- Indyref2 | Michael Gove suggests Scots living in rest of UK could vote
- Channel death | Family of Sudanese migrant blame French authorities
- 'Night stalker' | How murderer and serial rapist was caught
- 'Point of no return' | Greenland ice sheet shrinking at record rates
- Village overwhelmed | Free holiday competition goes viral
Around the world: US vote is battle of 'light and dark'
Joe Biden has declared this year's US election is a battle between "light" and "dark" as he used his closing speech at the Democratic convention to urge Americans to unite and reject the "hate and division" pushed by Donald Trump. In an address focussed on the big picture rather than attacking the US president, Mr Biden framed the choice facing the country in moral and momentous terms as he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination. Yet there were sharp words about his opponent. Read on for five things we learned from the Democratic National Convention and click here for more pictures of the day.
Joe Biden delivering his convention speech. CREDIT: OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Comment and analysis
- Fraser Nelson | Boris, your backbenchers are running out of patience
- Tony Brenton | Putin can ill afford another martyr right now
- Lucy Denyer | Nobody forgets their teachers - especially not this year
- Lela London | Oh Meghan, it's tough to speak British as an American
- Reader letters | The exam furore is damaging pupils' confidence
Editor's choice: Features and arts
- 'It symbolises relief' | Samantha Cameron on auctioning her Downing Street dress
- Rise of the Zoom Botox | Why younger women are getting tweaked
- Move over Brian Cox? | Meet Tim Gregory, TV's rising science star
Business and money briefing
Battle for Asda | Two retail veterans are poised to do battle for Asda as a £6.5bn bidding war hots up. Former Debenhams boss Rob Templeman is reportedly squaring off against previous Asda chief executive Paul Mason in a race to buy the supermarket from its US owner Walmart.
- New milestone | Apple set to be worth more than entire FTSE 100
- Investment tip | Will this fund recover as tech stock obsession wanes?
- Alex cartoon | See our cartoonist's latest work on world of finance
Sport briefing
England v Pakistan | Global uncertainty means England have no more Test cricket firmed up after the third Test, which starts today. Heavy winds could wreak havoc with captain Joe Root desperate to end the disrupted summer on a high. Yet Scyld Berry highlights why the series has been a missed opportunity, with failure to prepare for the future.
- Michael Vaughan | Appreciate the beauty of Dom Sibley’s ugly runs
- Emiliano Sala | Family's stinging attack on Cardiff City over trust fund
- Oliver Brown | What written-off Gnabry shows about English game
Tonight's dinner
Sardines with scorched green-chilli sauce and tomato and feta salad | Charred sardines teamed with fresh tomatoes and a punchy sauce. Read on for the recipe.
And finally... for this morning's downtime
Small but plucky | Amid the grim news about the devastating effect of Covid-19 on the arts, particularly live performances, one category has been overlooked. Arts centres – multi-purpose venues where you might catch a touring play, a film or a comedy gig, but maybe also take your children to ballet class, or hold a planning meeting – have a crucial role to play in the creative ecosystem. Joshua Neicho examines how British arts centres are fighting off Covid-19.