While the situation in Afghanistan continues to lead the news - including reports of a British student evacuated after being a "danger tourist" in the country - wildfires near Saint-Tropez and New Zealand entering lockdown after its first Covid case in six months are also in the headlines.
In the UK, meanwhile, the House of Commons’ spending watchdog has confirmed MPs returning to Westminster from abroad to attend today’s debate on Afghanistan will be able to claim the cost of coronavirus tests for themselves and their families on expenses.
Here are the key headlines from the national press on Wednesday (18 August).
Private travel testing labs ’fail to deliver 150k results’
More than 40% of the results from the 350,000 PCR tests a week on amber list travellers are being recorded as “unregistered” due to private travel test firms failing to pass on holidaymakers’ personal data to the government. (The Times)
MPs can claim Covid PCR test costs after holiday returns
MPs returning to Westminster from holidays overseas to attend a parliamentary debate on Afghanistan will be able to claim Covid testing costs for themselves and their families on expenses. Commons’ spending watchdog says MPs can be reimbursed for the cost of returning for an emergency sitting of parliament during recess. (The Times)
Family relieved as British ’danger tourist’ in Afghanistan evacuated
The mother of a British student and so-called ’danger tourist’, who went on holiday to Kabul just days before it fell to the Taliban, has said she is “relieved” he has been evacuated – and admitted she had “no idea” her son was even in the country until she saw his online posts. (Daily Mail)
New Zealand enters Covid lockdown after one case
New Zealand has announced a snap lockdown after the country’s first confirmed Covid case in six months was detected in Auckland. The city will be in lockdown for a week, while the rest of the country will implement restrictions for three days. (BBC News)
Qantas makes staff Covid-19 vaccination mandatory
Qantas will require all of its employees to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. By 15 November, all of the carrier’s frontline employees, including cabin crew, pilots and airport workers, will need to be fully vaccinated. (The Guardian)
Thousands flee wildfires near Saint-Tropez
Holidaymakers and residents have been evacuated from homes and campsites along the French Mediterranean near Saint-Tropez after wildfires broke out overnight. Hundreds of firefighters have fought the blazes across an area of 5,000 hectares. (The Telegraph)