simon calder, packing his bags for the trip to portugal next week.gly been made to wear a face mask during childbirth, a leading charity has warned. research shared exclusively with bbc news found 160 mothers out of more than 900 who gave birth last december said they were made to wear a mask during labour. guidance published by the royal college of midwives says expectant women shouldn't have to wear any form of facial covering during labour because of the risk of harm and complications. this report from divya talwar. this is barnaby, rosie's third child. he's a healthy pandemic baby, but there were complications during his birth, and rosie was terrified he wasn't going to make it. i was convinced he would be stillborn. what was going through my mind was, actually, "this is awful, this is the end of everything for him." rosie says her difficult labour was made worse after she was told to wear a facemask while in advanced labour. she has a phobia of being sick, and says the smell of the mask made her nauseous and panic. i felt like i was dying. i tho

we _ simon calder from america. they you for talking to us. we will— simon calder from america.neyland. there is a thought, an image for the mind. we will have the headlines at seven o“clock. time now for film review. hello, and welcome to the film review with me, mark kermode, rounding up the best new movies available for viewing in the home while we look forward to cinemas reopening in the very near future. the mortal kombat video game series first came to the cinema in the mid—“90s during an early wave of dismal console—to—big screen adaptations that included the live—action super mario bros starring bob hoskins and the ill—fated street fighter, which teamed jean—claude van damme with kylie minogue for reasons no one could fully understand. by comparison with these stinkers, the original mortal kombat movie, directed by paul ws anderson and starring christopher lambert, wasn't bad. not great, but not terrible either. the same could not be said of the sequel annihilation, a flop which effectively killed the live—action franchise. first learned about this seven years ago, on a

simon calder there is still uncertainty about fans making the journeys.e uncertainty about fans making the “ourne 5. ~ ., ., , journeys. we have two possible situations here. _ journeys. we have two possible situations here. were _ journeys. we have two possible situations here. were they - journeys. we have two possible i situations here. were they serious when the minister who said it is all going to be a big bubble, it is going to be a big bubble, it is going to be fans floating on charters and effectively kept there for more than 2a hours and then flown back to london manchester prospectively? that is at odds with what the big airlines i have been talking to have said, and furthermore, thankfully, this lunchtime we have finally got confirmation that ordinary tourist can go there without any problems, apart from the pcr tests, and filling in the passenger locator and then remembering pretty much to do then remembering pretty much to do the same thing every person coming back, so apart from those details cub it is looking uncertain about whether those f

fortunately, simon calder is here to untangle all the complexity surrounding a trip this year.viewer of the travel show, you might be thinking, "hang on! about a year, ago i'm sure he was saying, �*0h, it will all be over byjuly, we'll have a normal summer'." well, yes, i was hopelessly overoptimistic. and the confidence we used to have as travellers has been seriously dented. for the coming months, maybe years, there will be an awful lot of uncertainty associated with travelling abroad. but as some parts of the world at least start to emerge, even the most avowed adventurer has to accept that the journey abroad these days is almost a constantly changing obstacle course. until the start of the coronavirus pandemic, nobody red the small print. now pretty much everybody does, and you will see what the big holiday companies have said, ok, we want to be as flexible as possible, in order to get your booking. and so quite typically they will let you change your destination. they will allow you to postpone your trip, sometimes up to a few weeks, maybe even a few days before departure.

here's simon calder again. the other european country on the green list is iceland.you have both jabs. the other nine countries on the green list are mostly composed of places that certainly don't want the likes of me, possibly not even you, at the moment. or places which are frankly inaccessible like south georgia and the lovely south sandwich islands. today's rule changes affect people travelling out of the uk. the british government continues to deal with coronavirus infections brought in by people travelling into the country. in certain parts of the uk, such as bolton, where this strain is becoming the dominant one, vaccines are being offered to everyone over 17. you can see here the queue in bolton of people today waiting to get vaccinated. the government is hoping this will help stop the spread so the country can continue to open up. here's the health secretary, matt hancock. the early evidence suggests that b1 617 point to is more transmissible than the previously dominant be triple 17 variant. we do not yet know to what extent it's more transmissible, and whi

simon calder there is still uncertainty about fans making the journeys.ions here. were they i journeys. we have two possible i situations here. were they serious when the minister who said it is all going to be a big bubble, it is going to be a big bubble, it is going to be fans floating on charters and effectively kept there for more than 24 hours and then flown back to london manchester prospectively? that is at odds with what the big airlines i have been talking to have said, and furthermore, thankfully, this lunchtime we have finally got confirmation that ordinary tourist can go there without any problems, apart from the pcr

let's speak now with simon calder, travel editor of the independent newspaper. to see you. what do you make of the latest changes to these travel restrictions on what is allowed? ~ �* , travel restrictions on what is allowed?— travel restrictions on what is allowed? �*, ., , allowed? well, it's looking really, really tricky _ allowed? well, it's looking really, really tricky for — allowed? well, it's looking really, really tricky for the _ allowed? well, it's looking really, really tricky for the uk _ allowed? well, it's looking really, really tricky for the uk and - allowed? well, it's looking really, really tricky for the uk and the - really tricky for the uk and the travellers, whojust really tricky for the uk and the travellers, who just as we were expecting this coming thursday to see more of europe opened up and put on the green list. i'm currently in one of the only two southern european countries you can go to, gibraltar and the other being portugal, we suddenly see that your is turning us read. as you say, from today, francis says if you are coming to f

simon calder is a travel writer. >> it is a huge p.r. most susceptible to covid 19, older travelers, are the absolute prime demographic for the cruise industry. >> reporter: calder twice fully vaccinated, also had to have a covid test. >> thank you. >> reporter: and cruise ships from now on will have to have a secure quarantine area where passengers can be looked after if they do fall ill. most foreign countries aren't ready to welcome floods of tourists yet, but as for the tourists themselves, they are raring to go. elaine spencer is a veteran cruiser who wrote a book about her two weeks trapped in quarantine on the diamond princess. she and her husband have already booked their next trip. there are some people who would say you are nuts. >> yes, yes, i think my kids think we are nuts as well.. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> r reporter: b but it is t thd of loyoyalty the cruise industry is relying on to refill their boats and refloat their business. elizabeth palmer, cbs news, south hampton. >> duncan: a lot of people trying to get out. well still ahead on t

simon calder.wealthy nations are about to begin their first face—to—face talks since 2019. the meetings in london are expected to cover the recent coup in myanmar, relations with china and russia, and the forthcoming withdrawal of american troops from afghanistan. the g7 group is made up of the uk, canada, france,japan, the g7 group is made up of the uk, canada, france, japan, germany, italy and the united states. the summit comes of a criticism to the uk cutting overseas aid spending. australia, india, south korea and south africa have also been invited as guests to the three—day summit as the uk tries to deepen ties with the indo pacific region. our diplomatic correspondent james landale has indo pacific region. our diplomatic correspondentjames landale has been giving more details about what is happening today. giving more details about what is happening today-— giving more details about what is happening today. basically, all the big ge0politieal — happening today. basically, all the big geopol

limits on flights overseas out of china and quarantine requirements joining us now from london simon caldertravel editor of the independent newspaper simon great to talk to you again why is it presidents and prime ministers and i guess foreign secretaries around the world they're playing a kind of a chase me chase me game because everyone is waiting for a date in their country when they can go to the airport get on a plane and fly safely to go on holiday. that they are and there's also probably an equal and opposite number of people who are waiting desperately for tourism to resume in their part of the world because their livelihood depends upon it and you have this extraordinary picture that you are actually very graphically painted just now of an immense number of travel restrictions that are in place around the world and the fact that every country is trying desperately to balance a public health than the risk to its own population with the economic need to get travel and tourism back on track and of course the great economic stimulus that that will have for the why don't world and at th

simon calder is a travel writer. >> it's a huge pr challenge.the cruise industry. >> reporter: the industry is trying to build confidence. aboard one of the first british cruises of the season last week, calder not only had to have a covid test but everyone on board had to be fully vaccinated. and that's going to be the new normal everywhere. >> so we've listened to our guests, and they overwhelmingly told us that they wanted to travel with fellow vaccinated travelers. >> reporter: the pandemic has cost the cruise industry $77 billion globally, and more than 160,000 jobs in just the united states. a relaunch is under way, but it's going to be slow. with all those horror stories of covid on the high seas at the start of the pandemic still fresh in public imagination, you'd think that the appetite for cruising would be down. well, think again. >> waiting to go home. >> reporter: elaine spencer was one of the passengers trapped in quarantine on the "diamond princ princess." in fact, she's written a book about it. >> when i wrote the book, i -- we b

and we will be talking a little bit more about travel with paul charles and simon calder over the nextn hartlepool. which makes all this the biggest test of public opinion outside a general election. 0ur political correspondent helen cattjoins me now. good morning, helen. 0ne good morning, helen. one of the thing is really fascinating about this as there has been a huge change in the political landscape since these elections last took place? absolutely massive. if you think back— absolutely massive. if you think back a _ absolutely massive. if you think back a lot — absolutely massive. if you think back a lot of these elections took place _ back a lot of these elections took place last— back a lot of these elections took place last time in 2016 and 2017, which _ place last time in 2016 and 2017, which means it was well before brexit. — which means it was well before brexit, and some of them even before the referendum result. just think how long — the referendum result. just think how long ago that feels politically. and, how long ago that feels politically. and. as _ how long ago that

simon calder is the independent�*s travel editor and he's in faro.tainly was. just to remind people - very keen to get there? i certainly| was. just to remind people exactly what the problem was, on thursday, we were expecting the portuguese to say come on in, brits, you are absolutely fine. but it was not until friday afternoon they made that call and at that point, they said, by the way, you will need a pcr test. i was already booked to fly out, i had to spend a weekend rushing around. i spent four times as much as i had on my flight buying the test which fortunately got done in time. that was £100. my flight was £25. that could explain why there was relatively few people here. on my flight, there were 150 books, 2a no shows. they did not turn up, presumably because the hat problems with the paperwork. my goodness, there is loads. apart from your test and of course your boarding pass, you have to have another piece of paper to see you have your pass checked. you need your portuguese qr code. i used to go travelling quite a lot in the old soviet uni

the host of the big travel podcast — lisa francesca nand and the independent�*s travel editor, simon calderand on that they have put a specific figure and recommended lowering the threshold for the white list including countries with an incident rate of 75 per 100,000 which theoretically includes the uk but it is a moving picture. iwas theoretically includes the uk but it is a moving picture. i was talking to the public health person in lancashire earlier who said that currently cases there are 50 per 100,001 area in particular, so how uncertain does this make it that the uk would be on the white list? i uk would be on the white list? i think we can absolutely be certain that initially, and let's assume that initially, and let's assume that the biggest fears about the indian variant do not materialise in the worst—case scenario, but we can be confident that the uk is there, and what is really important about this is it's not simply going to divide us into people who have been lucky enough to be jabbed and those who haven't, it's not going to mean you have got parents who had the vaccination

the independent�*s travel editor simon calder joins me now.be allowed in the from monday. at the moment, it's only essential visitors who are allowed in. we did not get that. we did get the extension of the state of calamity, which is unrelated, but understandably people thought they didn't want others. i have been on the phone to the portuguese authorities all day, and then finally, just 20 minutes or so ago, they confirmed that we would be allowed in. the ban stops at midnight on a sunday night, the very first flight arrives at 9:05am on the beautiful algarve coast from manchester on monday morning. anybody, like me, who is ready to go and all packed, will now be in the position of organising a pcr test, which has to be taken within 72 hours of departure. i shall be running around at the weekend in order to show it at the airport and get on the plane. bud order to show it at the airport and get on the plane-— order to show it at the airport and get on the plane. and when you come back, ou get on the plane. and when you come back. you need _

and travel expert simon calder will be calling in from a cruise ship somewhere in the english channeleople to help slow the spread of the virus. our special correspondent, ed thomas, has been hearing from residents in the town. that's my mum. this is our nana, my nan. margaret was 78 when she died. you miss her, don't you? itjust made me feel like i've lost the person to me that was so special. and this is why i hate covid so much, because it's taken the person i love the most. and it's proper hurt me. she was in a nursing home. that's where she contracted covid. and then, obviously, they had to rush her to hospital because she had breathing difficulties. she lived a week. and once again, the family is isolating. a suspected outbreak at the nursery. a lot of my anxiety has been building up and i've got more anxious about speaking to people. we are still strong, we are still fighting and there is that minority that doesn't care. that doesn't go. we are going to get through this. i think this is why we are back to square one. as cases spread, many fear a local lockdown. i feel trapped,

let's speak now to travel journalist, simon calder, who is outside the portuguese embassy in london thisoked to travel next week at the moment are not allowed to travel. we were expecting a decision yesterday to say it was fine. i have spoken to several people in the travel industry, including a very senior source, and he says there is a piece of paper waiting to be signed by the government in lisbon which should open things up. we are in an extraordinary position where me, and thousands of other people, looking for some sunshine, particularly after that forecast, do not know if we can go. i have my passport but i have not my tests because i do not know what the rules are. a right old model. in know what the rules are. a right old model. , ., . . ., , know what the rules are. a right old model. , .,. .., , , ., model. in practicalterms, if you are someone — model. in practicalterms, if you are someone who _ model. in practicalterms, if you are someone who has _ model. in practicalterms, if you are someone who has that, - model. in practicalterms, if you are someone who has that, like| mo

fortunately, simon calder is here to untangle all the complexity surrounding a trip this year.ic, nobody red the small print. now pretty much everybody does, and you will see what the big holiday companies have said, "ok, we want to be as flexible as possible in order to get in your pocket". and so quite typically they will let you change your destination. they will allow you to postpone your trip, sometimes up to a few weeks, maybe even a few days before departure. you won't be able to get a cash refund if the trip is still going ahead, but you will have the peace of mind that you will be able to enjoy the holiday at some stage in the future. accommodation providers are increasingly flexible, and so i am booking stuff where i know that i only pay at check—in. they'll probably still want a credit card number to prove you are serious, but please remember to cancel as early as you possibly can if you're not going to be taking it up, so they can give it to someone else. i'd love to say there is bargains galore out there, but while there are some really cheap deals popping up here

we�*re joined now by the independent�*s travel editor, simon calder.oment of covid, as far as i can _ cases at the moment of covid, as far as i can talk — cases at the moment of covid, as far as i can talk i— cases at the moment of covid, as far as i can tell. i slant, which has done _ as i can tell. i slant, which has done fantastically well at keeping vaccination, coronavirus cases down. and israel. _ vaccination, coronavirus cases down. and israel, which of course has been extremely— and israel, which of course has been extremely successful. however, it takes— extremely successful. however, it takes two— extremely successful. however, it takes two to tango in a socially distant — takes two to tango in a socially distant manner. and if you look at the restrictions, i have been checking _ the restrictions, i have been checking them this morning. gibraltar— checking them this morning. gibraltar at the moment, checking them this morning. gibraltarat the moment, essential travel— gibraltarat the moment, essential travel only — gibraltarat the moment, ess