Your morning briefing: What you should know for Friday, July 31

Indoor household visits banned across swathes of northern England in major coronavirus crackdown

People from different households across swathes of northern England have been banned from meeting each other indoors.

It comes as part of “immediate action” to combat the continued spread of coronavirus in the UK, Matt Hancock announced before the order came into force at midnight.

The Health Secretary tweeted a list of the areas in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and East Lancashire where households will no longer be allowed to meet each other indoors.

The areas where the new restrictions apply are Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirkless, and the City of Leicester.

Pubs and restaurants to reopen in Leicester as local lockdown lifted in city

Pubs, cafes and restaurants can reopen in Leicester from Monday as lockdown measures are eased in the city.

It comes after Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that lockdown restrictions had been tightened in parts of northern England. He said those restrictions on household visits would also apply in Leicester.

The borough of Oadby and Wigston on the outskirts of the city is moving completely out of local lockdown after being told to observe strict measures from 29 June following a spike in coronavirus cases.

Sunak warned he has 24 hours to avoid ‘historic mistake’ on furlough scheme

Rishi Sunak has been told he has just 24 hours to change course on the Government's furlough scheme or risk making a "historic mistake".

Labour warned the Chancellor that jobs could be lost if he does not abandon his "one-size-fits-all" withdrawal of support.

From August 1 employers will have to pay National Insurance and pension contributions for their staff. And in September, companies will have to pay 10 per cent of furloughed employees' salaries - rising to 20 per cent in October.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said the move could lead to a "python-like" squeeze on jobs in some of the sectors that have been hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump’s call to delay presidential election rejected by top Republicans

Donald Trump's suggestion that November's presidential election should be delayed due to alleged fraud concerns has been rejected by a number of top Republicans.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy were among those to dismiss the idea from the US leader.

Republican president Mr Trump does not have the authority to postpone the election and any delay would need to be approved by Congress.

Earlier he suggested that increased postal voting could lead to fraud and inaccurate results, saying the election could be delayed until people could vote "properly, securely and safely”.

Temperatures to hit sizzling highs of 35C on what could be hottest day of year so far

Temperatures are set to soar to sizzling highs of 35C today on what is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far in the UK.

Forecasters predict that parts of the UK will be hotter than popular tourist spots on the continent including Ibiza, Lisbon and Berlin.

The hot weather will be widespread across south eastern areas in Kent and Cambridgeshire, where temperatures will stay around 33-34C.

The mercury will soar to 35C in Greater London, Manchester is expected to peak at 32C and parts of Wales will reach 30C.

VMA Nominees revealed: Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga lead the way with nine nominations apiece

Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga lead the way at the MTV Video Music Awards this year, with nine nominations apiece.

The pair recently collaborated on Rain On Me which featured on Gaga's Chromatica album - and the song is nominated in seven categories.

Canadian singer The Weeknd and pop sensation Billie Eilish, who swept the big four categories at the Grammys this year, both secured a total of six nominations.

On this day...

1485: Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory was published. He wrote the tale of knightly love and chivalry while in prison for armed assault and rape.

1635: British public inland postal services were established, with charges of two to eight pence.

1910: Wife-poisoner Dr Hawley Crippen was arrested on SS Montrose as it was entering Quebec. He had left his dismembered wife in a cellar at home and was travelling with Ethel le Neve, his mistress, who was dressed as a boy. Crippen was the first criminal to be captured by the use of wireless telegraphy.

1912: The world's first film censorship law was passed in the United States. It was not against obscenity but the interstate transportation of films showing prize fights.

1919: The Weimar Republic was established in post-war Germany.

1950: Britain's first self-service store, Sainsbury's, opened in Croydon.

1956: At Old Trafford, England bowler Jim Laker took all 10 Australian wickets in the second innings for 53 runs, after a first innings haul of 9 for 37.

1964: Jim Reeves, American country singer, was killed in an air crash.

1965: Cigarette advertising on British TV was banned.

1975: Irish pop group the Miami Showband were ambushed and murdered by Protestant gunmen near Newry in Northern Ireland.

2010: A four-strong British rowing team smashed a 114-year-old record for crossing the North Atlantic. Their time - 43 days, 21 hours, 26 minutes and 48 seconds - knocked 11 days off the previous 55-day record set in 1896 by Norwegian fishermen George Harbo and Frank Samuelsen.

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