Donald Rumsfeld: Ex-US defence secretary dies aged 88

Reuters

Former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, one of the main architects of the Iraq war, has died at the age of 88.

Serving under President George W Bush, he was a leading proponent of the administration's "war on terror".

US forces launched a campaign in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks and invaded Iraq in 2003.

Mr Rumsfeld resigned in 2006 amid the fallout of the conflict, but always defended his record.

Reacting to the news, President Bush described him as "a very good man" and an "exemplary public servant" who "never flinched from responsibility".

Mr Rumsfeld's family said he died at home in the town of Taos, New Mexico, on Tuesday.

• Obituary: Donald Rumsfeld

"It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Donald Rumsfeld, an American statesman and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather," they said in a statement.

A statement from the family of Donald Rumsfeld: pic.twitter.com/AlKYxVvqgF

— Donald Rumsfeld (@RumsfeldOffice) June 30, 2021

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Born in Chicago in 1932, Mr Rumsfeld's political and private career spanned decades.

He first came to Washington DC in the 1960s and served in multiple positions under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

In 1975, he became the youngest person to be named defence secretary and later became the oldest to serve in the role during his second stint under President Bush.

Ahead of the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, Mr Rumsfeld made the case for the invasion. He argued that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction posed a danger to the world, but no such weapons were ever found.

One of his most memorable moments came in 2002 when he was asked about the lack of evidence for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. He gave a much-mocked answer about "known knowns" and "known unknowns".

Mr Rumsfeld, however, largely remained defiant over his record after leaving office. In a 2011 memoir, he defended his decisions around the Iraq war but did express regret over some of his comments.

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July 01, 2021 at 09:30AM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57674117

William and Harry to unveil Diana statue at Kensington Palace

Reuters

The Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex will meet later to unveil a statue of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, on what would have been her 60th birthday.

The event will be William and Harry's first appearance together since the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral in April.

Commissioned by the brothers in 2017, the statue will stand in Kensington Palace's redesigned Sunken Garden.

At the time, they said they hoped it would help visitors to the palace "reflect on her life and her legacy".

Harry, who lives in the US with his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, arrived in the UK last week in order to complete his quarantine ahead of Thursday's event.

On Wednesday, he paid surprise visit to children's charity WellChild's awards ceremony for seriously ill children in the UK.

• What next for William and Harry's relationship?
• Harry: Heavy drinking masked pain of mum’s death
• Who's in the UK Royal Family and how does it work?

Kensington Palace confirmed that, in addition to the royal brothers, members of Diana's close family will attend the unveiling, as will the committee that oversaw the statue's creation and the redesign of the garden that will be its home.

Ian Rank-Broadley, who has a long track record of creating images of the Royal Family, was chosen to sculpt it, and he will also be among the guests.

Reuters

The ceremony - scaled back due to Covid restrictions - will be a "small event and a very personal moment for the family", a source told the PA News agency.

Kensington Palace said the Sunken Garden had been "one of the princess's favourite locations" when she lived there.

More than 4,000 flowers have been planted for the garden's redesign, which has taken 1,000 hours to complete.

PA Media

Speaking about his mother's death in a recent interview, Harry said he had been willing to drink and take drugs to cope with the pain of losing her.

He also spoke of his family's unwillingness to talk about the death, and how he was expected to "suffer" in silence.

The comments, along with a series of other revelations, followed the Sussexes' decision to step down as senior royals at the beginning of 2020.

• COULD COVID HAVE COME FROM A LAB?: Why the controversial theory is now gaining attention
• I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS: Maya Angelou's iconic debut memoir

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July 01, 2021 at 11:33AM
By Hamish Mackay
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57671175

New Zealand Dollar Forecast: Covid Resurgence Puts Sentiment to Test

New Zealand Dollar, NZD/USD, Delta Variant, Travel Bubble -Talking Points

• Asia-Pacific traders taking cautious approach as Covid risks reemerge
• New Zealand building permits drop for first time since February in May
• NZD/USD trades largely unchanged after a bout of weakness last week

Thursday’s Asia-Pacific Outlook

Asia-Pacific markets may see a neutral open as a stronger US Dollar weighs on risk-sensitive currencies such as the Australian Dollar and New Zealand Dollar. Market sentiment has held up fairly well in the face of the quickly spreading Delta Covid variant, although traders are keeping a close eye on the strain’s impacts across major economies.

The region’s economic recovery showed a small road bump on Wednesday when China reported a slight decline in its factory activity. While the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for June via the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) beat expectations, it saw a decrease from the prior month. However, a highlight in the report showed a pickup in new orders growth, an encouraging sign for the coming months.

Still, the Asia-Pacific region and other regions across the globe face a much larger slowdown threat if the Delta Covid variant manages to drive up case figures to the point where policy makers are forced to enact additional lockdowns. In fact, Australia is already in the beginning phase of a two-week lockdown in portions of New South Wales (NWS), including the city of Sydney.

New Zealand announced that its travel bubble with Australia – which was halted over the weekend – will resume in early July. The travel corridor was suspended due to Covid outbreaks in Sydney and other portions of Australia. New Zealand government officials are closely monitoringcase figures in Australia due to the number of travelers entering and exiting the two countries over a daily basis. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said earlier this week:

“The rise of the Delta variant and the risk it poses to the trans-Tasman bubble means it's timely to consider additional measures for our toolbox to strengthen the bubble and reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading in New Zealand.”

Thursday morning, building permits for May saw a -2.8% drop on a month-over-month basis. That is down from an upwardly revised 5.1% increase in April, according to the DailyFX Economic Calendar. The economic indicator is used as a barometer to gauge consumer confidence in the housing market. Last month’s reading is the first negative number since February when permits dropped 19.5%.

NZD/USD Technical Outlook:

The New Zealand Dollar has seen muted price action over the past 24 hours against the US Dollar. The currency pair is trading below a level of prior support seen through early April trading after dropping back below the 200-day Simple Moving Average earlier this week. That early April level may serve as resistance on the next push higher. To the downside, March support near the 0.6941 level could underpin prices.

NZD/USD Daily Chart

Chart created with TradingView

New Zealand Dollar TRADING RESOURCES

--- Written by Thomas Westwater, Analyst for DailyFX.com

To contact Thomas, use the comments section below or @FxWestwateron Twitter

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July 01, 2021 at 11:00AM
Thomas Westwater
https://www.dailyfx.com/forex/fundamental/daily_briefing/daily_pieces/asia_am_briefing/2021/06/30/New-Zealand-Dollar-Forecast-Covid-Resurgence-Puts-Sentiment-to-Test.html

IPO Report: Krispy Kreme prices IPO at $17 a share, well below range

Krispy Kreme Inc. priced its initial public offering at $17 a share late Wednesday, significantly below their expected range of $21 to $24 a share.

The doughnut chain plans to sell 29.4 million shares, raising about $500 million.

Shares are expected to begin trading Thursday on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “DNUT” DNUT.

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July 01, 2021 at 10:34AM
Mike Murphy
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B20C05575-04D4-B545-74EC-F82469D0461D%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1

Bill Cosby freed after top court overturns sexual assault conviction

Getty Images

US comedian Bill Cosby has left prison hours after his sexual assault conviction was overturned by Pennsylvania's Supreme Court.

The judges said there had been a "process violation" by the prosecution, but admitted their ruling was unusual.

Mr Cosby, 83, served more than two years of a three to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia.

In 2018 he was found guilty of drugging and molesting ex-basketball player Andrea Constand.

Mr Cosby is best known for starring in the 1980s TV series The Cosby Show and was once known as "America's Dad".

Dozens of women have publicly accused Mr Cosby of sexual assault, but he was only tried criminally for the incident against Ms Constand. His conviction in 2018 was widely seen as a landmark moment in the #MeToo movement.

In a verdict issued on Wednesday, Pennsylvania's highest court found there was a "process violation" because Mr Cosby's lawyers had made an agreement with a previous state prosecutor that he would not be charged in the case.

What was Bill Cosby accused of?

Mr Cosby was found guilty on three counts of felony indecent assault toward Ms Constand.

Decades his junior, she met him in 2002 when working at Temple University in Philadelphia and described the comedian as a mentor figure. She later testified at trial how she became "frozen" after Cosby drugged and molested her at his home in 2004.

Ms Constand first came forward to police about the assault in 2005, but former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor did not press criminal charges. She then sued the comedian for sexual battery and defamation, reaching a settlement with a confidentially agreement in 2006.

In 2014 and 2015, dozens of women came forward with similar allegations of drugging and assault by Mr Cosby. Local authorities knew that statute of limitation rules meant they could not pursue the majority of these accusations - but they reopened the case involving Ms Constand and eventually charged him just days before the 12-year limit on her allegations was set to expire.

• Seven questions answered about Cosby case

Getty Images

A judge declared a mistrial in his first trial in 2017 after the jury failed to reach a verdict after 52 hours.

The testimony of other accusers was then allowed during a second trial, which helped prosecutors paint a pattern of predatory behaviour by Mr Cosby.

What did the court say?

The judges cited a written agreement reached by the former prosecutor, Bruce Castor, stating he would not prosecute Mr Cosby criminally if he testified in Ms Constand's civil lawsuit.

The judges also found that testimony from accusers unrelated to the case had tainted the trial.

"There is only one remedy that can completely restore Cosby to the status quo ante. He must be discharged, and any future prosecution on these particular charges must be barred", a 79-page finding released on Wednesday reads.

"We do not dispute that this remedy is both severe and rare. But it is warranted here."

A spokesman for Mr Cosby, Andrew Wyatt, thanked the court in a statement.

"This is the justice Mr Cosby has been fighting for. They saw the light," Mr Wyatt said. "He was given a deal and he had immunity. He should have never been charged."

EPA

Actor Phylicia Rashad, who played his wife on the Cosby Show, wrote on Twitter: "A terrible wrong is being righted - a miscarriage of justice is corrected!" in response to the news.

State prosecutor Kevin Steele said in a statement that Mr Cosby "was found guilty by a jury and now goes free on a procedural issue that is irrelevant to the facts of the crime".

"My hope is that this decision will not dampen the reporting of sexual assaults by victims… We still believe that no one is above the law - including those who are rich, famous and powerful."

Lawyer Gloria Allred, who represented more than 30 accusers of Mr Cosby, described the court's ruling as "devastating" but said the decision did not vindicate the comedian's conduct.

"My heart especially goes out to those who bravely testified in both of his criminal cases," her statement added.

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July 01, 2021 at 08:25AM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57671012

Covid: NHS plans booster jab for those 50 and over before winter

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The NHS has been given the green light to start planning a Covid vaccine booster programme in the UK ahead of this winter.

A bigger flu season than normal is expected, meaning extra protection against Covid is likely to be needed.

More than 30 million of the most vulnerable should receive a third dose, vaccine experts are advising.

They will include all adults aged 50 and over, and anyone younger who qualifies for a flu jab.

Health service bosses had previously said they needed lots of warning of an autumn Covid-19 booster rollout in order to plan the logistics alongside vaccinating millions of people against flu.

Interim advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is that boosters will help maintain protection against Covid-19 and new variants for those most at risk, before winter comes.

• How many people have been vaccinated so far?
• Can you get your vaccine without an appointment?
• Do you still need to self-isolate if you're vaccinated?

The vaccines are thought to protect most people against serious illness for at least six months, but a lack of data on exactly how long immunity lasts is prompting a safety-first approach.

No decisions have yet been made on which vaccines will be used.

Winter flu comeback

Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, said: "We want to be on the front foot for Covid-19 booster vaccination to keep the probability of loss of vaccine protection, due to waning immunity or variants, as low as possible - especially over the coming autumn and winter."

He said other respiratory viruses, particularly flu, "will make a comeback" and be an additional problem this winter.

"We will need to ensure protection against flu, as well as maintaining protection against Covid-19," Prof Van-Tam said.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said ministers were working with the NHS to rapidly deliver the programme from September.

"Our first Covid-19 vaccination programme is restoring freedom in this country, and our booster programme will protect this freedom," he said.

Scotland's health secretary Humza Yousaf said the government had been working closely with NHS boards to plan for the booster campaign, while the current vaccination programme "continues at pace and remains on schedule".

Wales' Health Minister Eluned Morgan said she was working with Welsh health boards to ensure they can deliver a booster programme "from the start of September".

"In line with the other nations of the UK, the Welsh government welcomes the JCVI advice," she said. "It very much aligns with our thinking and our planning assumptions to date."

The JCVI's final advice will be published before September, when better data will be available on how long protection from the first two doses of the vaccines lasts. The latest figures on hospitalisations, emerging variants and trials will also be taken into account at that point, and could change their advice.

Who could get a third dose?

In the meantime, the JCVI's advice is to offer a third Covid jab (and a flu jab) to the following people from September 2021:

• adults aged 16 and over who are immunosuppressed or clinically extremely vulnerable
• residents in care homes for older adults
• all adults aged 70 and over
• frontline health and social care workers

After those groups, it will be:

• all adults aged 50 and over
• adults aged 16-49 who are in a flu or Covid-19 at-risk group
• those living in the same house as people who are immunosuppressed

Prof Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for JCVI, said all these groups would also be eligible for the annual flu vaccine and were strongly advised to have it.

Younger adults will be not be given a third dose, because they will only have had their second dose in the summer, although this decision will be revisited at a later time, the JCVI said.

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July 01, 2021 at 06:03AM
By Philippa Roxby
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57667987

Gap to close all 81 stores in UK and Ireland

PA Media

US fashion giant Gap has confirmed it plans to close all its 81 stores in the UK and Ireland and go online-only.

The firm said it would close all its stores "in a phased manner" between the end of August and the end of September.

This includes 19 stores that were already scheduled to close in July as their leases were expiring.

The company has not disclosed how many employees the closures will affect, but will shortly start a consultation process with the staff.

The firm said it was "not exiting the UK market" and would continue to offer a web-based store when all the shops had closed.

A Gap spokesperson said the decision followed a strategic review of its European business.

As a result, Gap is also looking to offload its stores in France and Italy.

Global reach

The company said it was in negotiations with another firm to take over all of its French stores.

In Italy, Gap said it was in discussions with a partner for the potential acquisition of the stores there.

"We believe in Gap's global brand power. We are executing against Gap's Power Plan and partnering to amplify our global reach," the spokesperson said.

"We are not exiting the UK market. We will continue to run and operate our Gap e-commerce business in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland."

A source close to the company said that it had seen rapid uptake of internet shopping for its clothes in the UK since the pandemic-enforced lockdowns.

The move comes as the latest blow to UK High Streets, already reeling from the collapse of the Debenhams and Arcadia retail empires during the pandemic.

The Debenhams brand continues online after being bought by retailer Boohoo for £55m in January - and now Gap has added to the ranks of bricks-and-mortar clothing chains that have moved to cyberspace.

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July 01, 2021 at 07:18AM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57670737

Mexican Peso Short-Term Outlook Hinges on NFP Data, Levels to Watch in USD/MXN

MEXICAN PESO KEY POINTS:

• USD/MXN price action has remained subdued in the last few days ahead of a key holiday in the United States.
• U.S. NFP data on Friday, however, could spark volatility in the FX market
• In this article we analyze the main technical levels to watch in the USD/MXN for the rest of this week.

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Most read: How does NFP data can affect FX markets and how to trade it smartly?

After the big gain in the Mexican peso provoked by Banxico's rate hike surprise, volatility has decreased in USD/MXN exchange rate as of last Friday, with price action stuck in the 19.70-19.95 range since that day. The sleep-inducing market condition can be attributed to the quieter summer trading season in the northern hemisphere and the upcoming long weekend in the United States to commemorate Independence Day (investors go on vacation around these days). Many traders are also staying on the sidelines and deliberately avoiding taking large directional positions for fear that a key economic release this week will change the narrative and spark strong volatility.

Source: DailyFX Economic Calendar

On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its June labor market report. Investors expect nonfarm payrolls (NFP) to rise by 700,000, following May's 559,000 gain. Further economic normalization and progress in vaccinations recorded over that last four weeks, amid strong pent-up demand in the services sector, likely supported hiring and fortified employment growth. The aforementioned, coupled with the solid June ADP private sector payroll results that crossed the wires this morning, suggest that the job numbers could potentially surprise on the upside, despite the ongoing labor supply issues.

Weekly Technical US Dollar Forecast: Rangebound Ahead of June US NFP

According to Wall Street’s whispers, any NFP print close to 1 million or a figure significantly above that mark may reinforce the narrative that the economy is ready to withstand some monetary policy tightening in the form of reduced asset purchases, strengthening the case for a tapering announcement in late summer or early fall. That said, the possibility that the Fed will lay out a QE exit strategy sometime in the next three months may push long-term interest rates higher, boosting the U.S. dollar and triggering an EM FX sell-off. As a result, USD/MXN could spike higher in early July, at least temporarily. Broadly speaking, emerging market currencies are vulnerable to increases in US treasury yields, as these developments can trigger capital outflows from these economies.

Alternatively, if the NFP report comes on the soft side, market skeptics will argue that the economy has not made sufficient progress toward the Fed's mandate to justify withdrawing stimulus in the near term. This scenario may remove pressure from the Federal Reserve to start normalizing monetary policy soon. With almost three rate hikes expected by the end of 2023, any data disappointment is poised to have a disproportionately large negative impact on US dollar. Needless to say, this scenario may fuel the next leg higher in EM FX and push USD/MXN to new yearly lows.

USD/MXN TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

Although there was some wild swings in USD/MXN during a significant part of June (not the last few days), when it was all said and done and the month wrapped up, the pair finished mostly unchanged from its closing price in May, near the 19.95 area. Despite this neutrality, USD/MXN appears biased to the downside over the medium term as it remains below its 200 day moving average and a 12-month descending trendline. However, for price to resume convincingly the next leg lower, we would need to see a decisive break below the 2021 low near 19.55. If sellers manage to push prices below that key support, the 19.00 psychological level would come into focus.

On the flip side, if USD/MXN charges higher and pierces the 20.20 resistance, it would not be surprising to witness a move towards the next technical barrier near the 20.75 mark (see daily chart below).

USD/MXN TECHNICAL CHART

EDUCATION TOOLS FOR TRADERS

---Written by Diego Colman, DailyFX Market Strategist

Follow me on Twitter: @DColmanFX

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July 01, 2021 at 08:30AM
Diego Colman
https://www.dailyfx.com/forex/fundamental/daily_briefing/session_briefing/daily_fundamentals/2021/06/30/Mexican-Peso-Short-Term-Outlook-Hinges-on-NFP-Data-Levels-to-Watch-in-USDMXN.html

: This is the No. 1 reason unemployed Americans aren’t looking for work

Amid a record number of job openings, Americans are taking their time looking for work, with only about 10% of job seekers actively searching for a new gig.

And the top reason unemployed people are hesitant to join the workforce is fear of contracting COVID-19. Some also say a financial cushion has bought them the gift of time in their job search.

That’s according to a survey of 5,000 U.S. adults conducted May 26 through June 3 by the job-listing website Indeed. The survey included both unemployed people and people who have a job.

The survey comes as more than 9 million jobs sit unfilled in the U.S., and a record number of workers are quitting, according to the most recent figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  

Meanwhile, as businesses say they can’t find enough workers, Republican governors in several states have cut the enhanced unemployment benefits that went into effect when the U.S. was first in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The hope is that ending those extra cash benefits will motivate unemployed people to go back to work. The Indeed survey, however, painted a more complex picture of what’s holding some unemployed people back.

“Among the unemployed, concern about COVID-19 is the most commonly cited reason for a lack of urgency in looking for work,” wrote Nick Bunker, the economic research director for North America at the Indeed Hiring Lab, in a blog post on the survey results. About 25% of unemployed people said fear of the virus was keeping their job search “non-urgent.”

Unemployed workers said they’ll be more interested in getting back to work after they see certain milestones happen, such as more job opportunities, more vaccinations, and school starting up in the fall, the Indeed survey found.

As of Wednesday, 46.4% of the total U.S. population and 57.2% of U.S. adults were fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

After COVID-19 fears, unemployed people said financial security was the biggest reason behind their lack of urgency in looking for a job. They listed an employed spouse, financial cushion or unemployment insurance benefits (in that order) as reasons for not accelerating their job search. About 18% of unemployed people said “care responsibilities” at home were keeping them from pursuing a job search more urgently.

The survey results suggested that unemployed Americans may pick up the pace of their job hunting in the coming months.

“The further decline of COVID-19, the end of enhanced UI [unemployment insurance], and the return of school in the fall are factors that could increase the intensity of job searches by the unemployed,” Bunker wrote.

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July 01, 2021 at 05:58AM
Leslie Albrecht
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B20C05575-04D4-B545-74EA-A692E3139866%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1

Euro 2020: FA in talks over tickets for Italy-based England fans

The FA are in talks with UEFA to try to sell their ticket allocation for Saturday's Euro 2020 quarter-final to England fans based in Italy.

After an historic win against Germany, England will take on Ukraine in Rome.

Covid travel restrictions mean the FA has already decided not to sell tickets through their normal channels.

However, UK nationals living in Europe are able to travel without quarantining as long as they have proof of full vaccination or a negative test.

The FA has been allocated 2,560 tickets for Saturday's match, which equates to 16% of the agreed capacity of 16,000 at the Stadio Olimpico.

Current rules state that UK passengers travelling to Italy must provide proof of a negative coronavirus test taken 48 hours before travelling and then isolate for five days.

On Tuesday evening, there were jubilant scenes at Wembley as Gareth Southgate's side beat Germany 2-0 in front of 41,973 fans, while a peak TV audience of 20.6 million watched on BBC One.

• 'Nights like this allow England to dream' - Alan Shearer column
• Who stands between England and Euro 2020 final?
• Reaction to England's famous win

Normally, tickets that are not sold would be returned to UEFA, European football's governing body, which would make them available on their website.

However, BBC football reporter Simon Stone said the FA was keen to have the maximum number of England fans present - and felt that selling them to fans already in Italy would be the best way of achieving that.

The FA are also in contact with the British embassy in Rome to come up with a plan for selling the tickets.

Earlier, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office stressed that the British Embassy in Rome was not selling or distributing tickets to the match.

Downing Street said people should not travel to amber list countries such as Italy and urged fans to follow the rules.

The prime minister's official spokesman said: "Obviously we appreciate how fans will want to do everything possible to support the England team but we do need to balance that against the need to protect public health.

"We would urge everyone to comply with the guidelines and rules that we have in place."

Italian media are reporting that the Interior Ministry is devising a plan to strengthen controls at transport hubs like airports ahead of Saturday's match.

ANSA, the Italian news agency, quotes government sources saying that the five-day quarantine rule for all those who arrive from the UK has to be "strictly followed" and there will be "no exceptions".

One England fan who will be able to travel to the match is Luke Curner, who lives in Helmstedt in Germany but is originally from Kent.

The 36-year-old German language student, who bought tickets back in 2019, told the PA news agency: "I'm excited to be seeing England in a major championship but at the same time I'm sad that it won't have the same atmosphere due to the lack of English supporters being allowed to travel.

"It was great watching the game in Germany, although my whole neighbourhood knows I must be English and my wife hates me for waking our children up when England scored.

"Luckily I am taking her to Rome for the match so she can't hate me for too long."

Dawn Hughes, who is originally from the Wirral but now lives in Rome, said she was on her phone in search of tickets as soon as England won - and managed to get one.

She said the last year had been "awful" with her catching Covid but said she would be "elated" if England won the tournament.

"With everything that's been going on, it would just be magic for everyone," she told BBC News.

England's win was their first in a knockout tie over Germany since the 1966 World Cup final.

Former England captain Alan Shearer said he couldn't remember Wembley ever being that loud for an England game, despite the reduced capacity, describing the atmosphere as "incredible".

Southgate said the team started talking about their next game in the dressing room. "It's a dangerous moment for us," he said.

"We'll have that warmth of success and the feeling around the country that we've only got to turn up to win the thing - and we know it's going to be an immense challenge from here on."

If England beat Ukraine, they will play the Czech Republic or Denmark in the semi-finals.

If England get to the final, Saturday's trip to Rome will be the only one of their seven matches not at Wembley.

• Starstruck: The one-night stand that has blockbuster consequences
• Advice from former Love Islanders: What do they wish they had known before entering the villa?

Are you an England fan who is able to go to the game? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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July 01, 2021 at 04:00AM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57670139

Williamson wants to stop sending school bubbles home

PA Media

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says he wants the school "bubble" system in England removed as soon as possible, as rising numbers of pupils are being sent home to isolate.

This could happen alongside the next step of the roadmap for unlocking the country from the pandemic, he told MPs.

But Labour warned that schools needed immediate action to avoid "chaos" in the last weeks of term.

Official figures this week showed over 375,000 children have been sent home.

A Downing Street spokesman declined to say whether bubbles would be scrapped, either in September or as part of changes to restrictions potentially from 19 July.

Head teachers' leader Paul Whiteman said schools needed to be told how "alternative arrangements would work".

On Wednesday the UK reported another 26,068 Covid-19 cases - the highest daily figure since January 29.

Another 14 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were also reported.

Responding to an urgent question from Labour, Mr Williamson said he recognised the "frustration of parents and pupils who may feel like they're being asked to isolate unnecessarily".

• •More pupils sent home as Covid disruption soars
• How isolation rules might change for schools
• Gangs warning for pupils missing majority of school
• School Covid isolation rules could end in autumn

The numbers sent home from school for Covid-related reasons have quadrupled this month - but among those having to isolate only about 4% are confirmed cases, with most sent home because of a potential contact at school.

"I want to see these restrictions, including bubbles, removed as quickly as possible," said the education secretary, facing warnings from MPs about an escalating problem with pupils being sent home.

This would be part of the "next step" in the process of unlocking from the pandemic, he told MPs, which under current plans could be 19 July, close to the end of the summer term.

UK Parliament

Mr Williamson said he was working with the health secretary on changing the response to Covid in schools.

This could include more testing - and a pilot scheme has been using daily testing in response to Covid cases, rather than a wider group of pupils having to isolate.

The prime minister's official spokesman said there was no requirement for an entire bubble to have to be sent home, but only those in "close contact".

But there were calls to keep bubbles and isolation from Unison, representing school support staff. "Self-isolation is one of the proven ways to keep cases under control," said the union's head of education, Jon Richards.

Disruption

Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green said a new approach quickly needed to be introduced.

"Action is needed now to protect the final weeks of learning this year," she said, warning that "changing restrictions for five days at the end of term will create more chaos for schools and families".

"Schools, parents and pupils need urgent clarity. If bubbles will end on 19 July, schools need to know now so they can plan," said Ms Green.

Analysis:

By Sean Coughlan, BBC News education correspondent

It was striking how MPs from all sides seemed so concerned about the surge in pupils being sent home from school.

"We cannot allow this situation to continue," said James Daly, Conservative MP for Bury North, who said 2,000 pupils were currently isolating in his local area.

Labour's Christian Matheson, City of Chester MP, cited a constituent whose child had been sent home on three separate occasions.

There were calls for a change in how Covid rules are applied, because among the 375,000 pupils sent home across England, 96% are not confirmed cases but only isolating as a precaution.

These figures could get even more alarming in the weeks ahead, with more confusion for parents and schools and a growing political headache for ministers.

Back in March, when pupils returned and attendance levels were high, pupils being sent home might have felt like a problem fading away.

Now it's threatening a chaotic end to such a disrupted school year - and a reminder that adapting to Covid is going to be here for the long term.

Conservative Caroline Nokes asked for reassurance that "as we look to both 19 July and the end of the summer term that there can be no question of a return to bubbles and self-isolation when children return in the autumn".

Mr Williamson said: "Our direction is very clear about lifting the restrictions and ensuring that children are not in the situation where they have to bubble.

"It's very much part of the course of this road map - and we will be very much expecting that children would not be facing that in September."

Liberal Democrat Daisy Cooper said "parents are at their wits' end" with children having to self-isolate.

And there were warnings of a "generation of ghost children" from Robert Halfon, chair of the education select committee, who called for action before the end of term to stop so many young people missing school.

Tory MP Esther McVey called on Mr Williamson to put a stop to "self-isolation madness" in schools.

"Last week, 375,000 pupils were off school for self-isolation and there has been a 40% increase in anti-depressants being prescribed to under 17-year-olds.

"Given that children are extremely unlikely to suffer serious ill health as a result of catching Covid, and given the damage being done to their education and their mental health, isn't it time we stopped this self-isolation madness and get all pupils back into classrooms where they belong?"

Testing in the longer term

Asked if he intended Covid testing in schools to continue in the long term, Mr Williamson said he hoped to "move away" from it at the earliest opportunity.

Conservative Mark Harper asked: "Given we've now vaccinated all of those adults at risk of being seriously ill from Covid, is he really suggesting, given that Covid is going to be endemic, that for the rest of time we're going to be testing our school children on a regular basis?

Mr Williamson replied: "We do want to see schools return to normality and we don't want children to feel as if there's an extra layer of things that they have to do, that we as adults don't have to do."

He said testing had been an "incredibly important tool" in helping schools to return and that the issue was "under review".

"Much longer-term do I see testing as something that we expect children to continuously do always in the future? No I don't, and I ideally want to move away from that at the earliest and most realistic possible stage."

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July 01, 2021 at 04:08AM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-57664192