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Leeds news LIVE: Portugal moved onto amber list as latest travel announcements made

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Ministers have confirmed Portugal will be placed on the amber travel list following a meeting between the Westminster and devolved governments, as well as the Joint Biosecurity Centre.

It is among a number of changes announced today after Boris Johnson warned the Government will have “no hesitation” over moving countries off the green list where necessary.

Scroll down for live updates and the latest Leeds news:

Leeds news LIVE: Number of over 50s across city double vaccinated revealed

Key Events

  • Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine approved for use in 12 to 15-year-olds
  • Around 84 per cent of over 50s in Leeds have had both vaccine doses

Here are some of the latest stories on our website this evening:

Portugal added to the amber travel list amid Covid mutation concerns

Portugal will be added to the amber travel list as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps raised concerns of a new coronavirus mutation and rising cases.

The holiday hotspot, including the islands of Madeira and the Azores, will be removed from the green list exempting the need to quarantine on return from 4am on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka, Egypt and five other countries will also be added to the red list requiring isolation in a Government-approved hotel, it was announced on Thursday afternoon.

Labour criticised the "chaos" as reports about the restrictions dripped out of the Government ahead of official confirmation and travel bosses said the move will cause "untold damage to customer confidence".

Ministers confirmed Portugal would be placed on the amber list following a meeting between the Westminster and devolved governments, as well as the Joint Biosecurity Centre.

People returning to the UK from Portugal will be required to self-isolate at home for 10 days as part of coronavirus restrictions.

Afghanistan, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Sudan, and Trinidad and Tobago will also be placed on the red list, meaning people arriving in the UK from those nations will be required to stay in a quarantine hotel for 11 nights.

Leeds woman facing jail over £5m money laundering offences

A woman has pleaded guilty money laundering offences totalling more than £5m after she was stopped at Heathrow Airport with suitcases full of cash.

Tara Hanlon, 30, was held as she tried to board a flight to Dubai on October 3 2020 with more than £1.9m in sterling notes.

Hanlon, of Pelham Court, Leeds, appeared at Isleworth Crown Court by video-link this afternoon.

Portugal to be removed from green travel list, reports claim

Portugal will be removed from the green travel list on Thursday, it has been reported.

The summer hotspot will be put on the amber list following a meeting between the Westminster and devolved governments, and the Joint Biosecurity Centre, according to the BBC.

People returning to the UK from amber list countries must self-isolate at home for 10 days as part of coronavirus restrictions.

Many holidaymakers in Portugal face a scramble for flights home before the move is introduced, which is expected to be in the coming days.

The Government’s decision is a huge blow for the travel industry, as Portugal was the only viable major tourist destination on the green list when it was announced last month.

The PA news agency understands no additions will be made to the list on Thursday, despite speculation that Spanish and Greek islands and Malta could be added

Speculation mounts around changes to travel green list

There is growing speculation that popular holiday islands could be added to the Government's travel green list today.

Spanish and Greek islands plus Malta are among the destinations which experts believe may be given green status.

That would mean people visiting those locations from the UK will no longer be required to quarantine on their return.

Robert Boyle, former director of strategy at British Airways' parent company IAG, predicted that a number of summer hotspots will be added to the green tier.

He wrote in a blog post: "It still seems very likely that whilst Spain and Greece will not make it onto the green list, many of their islands will, due to lower case rates and higher vaccinations than on the mainland."

Mr Boyle added: "Malta, Finland and Slovakia are fairly safe bets, based on high testing rates and low reported cases."

Portugal is the only viable major tourist destination currently on the green list, but there have been reports it could be downgraded to amber.

The Government has urged people to avoid non-essential travel to amber and red countries.

Travellers returning from amber list locations - which include popular hotspots such as Spain, France, Italy and Greece - must quarantine at home for 10 days and take two post-arrival tests.

Several additions to the red list are expected today.

Man seriously injured during car transporter motorway collision

A man was seriously injured after three cars and a car transporter vehicle crashed on the M1 in Leeds.

It happened at about 10.45am on Saturday, May 29 on the M1 northbound, between junctions 42 and 43.

The crash involved three cars – a white Ford Fiesta, a green/blue Ford Fiesta, a grey Mercedes E300 - and a car transporter.

A 54-year-old man, who was driving the white Fiesta, suffered serious injuries.

Now police have issued an appeal for dash cam footage and witnesses.

Here are some of the latest stories on our website this lunchtime:

Bottomless mussels every Monday at Leeds fish and chip shops

Three people have been arrested in Leeds in connection with catalytic converter thefts

Spanish and Greek islands could be given green status

.Spanish and Greek islands plus Malta are among the destinations which experts believe may be given green status.

That would mean people visiting those locations from the UK will no longer be required to quarantine on their return.

Robert Boyle, former director of strategy at British Airways’ parent company IAG, predicted that a number of summer hotspots will be added to the green tier.

He wrote in a blog post: “It still seems very likely that whilst Spain and Greece will not make it onto the green list, many of their islands will, due to lower case rates and higher vaccinations than on the mainland.”

Mr Boyle added: “Malta, Finland and Slovakia are fairly safe bets, based on high testing rates and low reported cases.”

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said a number of popular holiday destinations “really deserve” to be moved to the low-risk tier.

He expects additions to the green list to include the Greek islands of Zante, Rhodes and Kos, the Caribbean islands of Grenada and Antigua, plus Malta and Finland.

But he said he would be “surprised” if Spain’s Balearic Islands – including Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca – were added on Thursday.

“They’re hugely popular and I’m not sure the Government is ready to encourage so much travel at the moment,” he told the PA news agency.

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