People in the UK should not travel overseas unless absolutely necessary, a UK Cabinet minister has said.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said on Tuesday the British public should “holiday at home” and visit the “great places” in the UK.
The remarks came after Portugal was moved to the amber list at 4am UK time on Tuesday, leaving just 11 countries and territories on the quarantine-free green list.
Several green list countries, such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, are not accepting visitors from Britain.
Mr Eustice said people must be aware of the risks involved with travelling overseas.
"I will be staying at home. I have no intention of travelling or going on a holiday abroad this summer," he said.
"Some people may, but they have to understand that there are obviously risks in doing so because it is a dynamic situation. But I think most people will probably decide this year to stay at home, holiday at home."
Asked whether he is advising people to stay in the UK, Mr Eustice said: "My advice to people would be holiday at home.
"We've got some great places here, there aren't many places that are on that list.”
British holidaymakers rushed to get home from Portugal on Monday before the country was axed from the green list.
Airlines put on dozens of extra flights to meet the demand.
The final commercial flight from Portugal to the UK was a WizzAir flight from Faro to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, landing at 2.58am - leaving little over an hour before the deadline.
Those who arrived after the deadline will have to quarantine at home for 10 days and take several Covid-19 tests.
More countries were added to the UK's red list, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Egypt, Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago and Sri Lanka.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Sunday criticised Britain's decision, saying it was "not justified" and had caused "serious harm" to both British tourists and his country's economy.
Anger was also brewing in Malta, a small Mediterranean island heavily reliant on British tourists.
Maltese Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo accused the UK government of ignoring scientific advice on the green list.
He suggested UK ministers did not want its citizens to go abroad due to growing concerns over coronavirus cases at home.
"The (British government) is ignoring scientific advice. It has taken a political decision not to allow travel anywhere, despite the pressure it faces from airlines, tourism operators and the people in general," he said on Facebook.
Malta on Monday reported no new Covid-19 cases for the first time in 11 months. Half of its adult population has been fully vaccinated and 75 per cent have received a first dose of a vaccine - the highest rate in the EU.
On May 17 Portugal had been the only EU country put on Britain's green list of countries, where returning travellers were exempt from quarantine.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Monday defended the strict rules as necessary to protect the country from imported cases of coronavirus.
Coronavirus in the UK - in pictures
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
