We’re covering looser border restrictions in the U.K. and falling records at the Tokyo Olympics.
England and Scotland will ease border controls
Fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. and most of the E.U. will be allowed to enter England and Scotland without quarantining starting Monday.
The British authorities are trying to attract visitors again, and the tourism industry has long pushed for the change. The relaxation of travel restrictions comes after a week of declining cases. “We’re helping reunite people living in the U.S. and European countries with their family and friends in the U.K.,” Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, wrote on Twitter.
Travelers will still need a negative coronavirus test before traveling and after landing. The government has been criticized for discriminating between travelers who were vaccinated in Britain and those who were inoculated elsewhere, without any medical justification.
As of Monday, the rules will apply equally to all travelers from the U.S. and most of the E.U., as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, if they have been fully vaccinated with shots authorized by either American or European drug regulators.
Daiki Hashimoto wins gold for Japan
The 19-year-old Japanese gymnast won the gold medal in the men’s individual all-around event. Follow our live Olympics updates.
In the 200-meter breaststroke, Zac Stubblety-Cook of Australia set an Olympic record for the gold, and Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands won silver. The American swimmer Caeleb Dressel won his first individual gold in the men’s 100-meter freestyle, setting an Olympic record in 47.02 seconds. Zhang Yufei of China set an Olympic record in the women’s 200-meter butterfly.
China’s team won a tight 4×200-meter freestyle relay race, with the U.S. and Australia narrowly behind. All three broke world records.
After bowing out of the women’s gymnastics team finals at the Tokyo Games, Simone Biles — the greatest gymnast in history — said she would also skip the all-around individual competition on Thursday. Biles will be evaluated daily as she considers whether to participate in the event finals next week.
Catch up: Katie Ledecky, an American swimmer, won the inaugural women’s 1,500 freestyle. Her teammate, Erica Sullivan, a first-time Olympian, finished second. Women paddlers canoed in the Olympics for the first time.
Senate takes up a vast U.S. infrastructure deal
The U.S. Senate voted to advance a far-reaching, $1 trillion bill, with Republicans joining Democrats hours after lawmakers and the White House reached a long-sought compromise.
About $550 billion in new federal money would be designated for roads, bridges, rail, transit, water and other physical infrastructure programs. Investing in the nation’s public works system is a priority for the Biden administration.
Asked about the deal while touring a truck manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania, President Biden was upbeat, telling reporters, “I feel confident about it.”
Every 18-year-old in France got about $350 to spend on culture. Instead of going to exhibitions or picking up the collected works of Proust, the teenagers flocked to manga.
ARTS AND IDEAS Falling into Olympic sports
When athletes take a tumble during a sport like skateboarding, they often get right back up and continue with their routine.
That’s not just a mark of good sportsmanship. Instead, athletes practice falling in ways that keep them from serious injury.
Often, they tuck and roll, using momentum to disperse the energy across their bodies instead of hitting the ground at a vulnerable point like a wrist or an ankle. Pads and wrist guards help, as does staying loose and looking at the ground.
“Skateboarding is all about falling,” said Ryan Sheckler, a world-champion skateboarder. “It’s key to everything. If you aren’t falling, you aren’t learning. You have to hit the ground to progress.”
PLAY, WATCH, EATWhat to Cook
