Nicola Sturgeon LIVE: Scotland goes full week with no Covid-19 deaths

Qatar Airways plans to boost flights to its Middle East hub in Doha from Edinburgh in August and September after becoming the first airline to resume long-haul services from Scotland two weeks ago.

The carrier currently operates two flights a week, which it said would rise to at least three from 1 August and potentially five.

Qatar then hopes to resume daily flights from September.

The moves come as Emirates resumed Glasgow-Dubai flights today, which are due to increase from four times a week to daily from 1 August and twice daily from 1 September.

Staycation holidays look set to boom in Scotland post lockdown as new figures revealed a surge in bookings and demand for self-catering, with all holiday accommodation reopening today.

Data from online booking software company, SuperControl, shows daily booking rates have nearly doubled at times during the week leading up to June 25th compared to the same time last year.

Around 13,500 properties across the UK and Ireland were included in the analysis.

A group of dental practice owners have said they no longer have confidence in the consultation arrangements between the Scottish Government and their representative body, as anger grows about NHS patients being refused treatments which private patients can receive.

The new Scottish Dental Practice Owners’ Group, which consists of around 466 practices caring for 3.5 million patients, has raised concerns about oral health as NHS dentists are still forbidden to carry out routine treatments such as fillings, and cannot use compressed air to check for cavities during check ups.

The strict measures were put in place at the height of the coronavirus outbreak, with practices closed to patients and emergency treatments – in the main extractions – only available at Urgent Care Centres.

However since lockdown easing has begun, private practices who have paid for surgical-grade PPE have been allowed to provide treatment to patients, including the use of aerosol equipment. But the Scottish Government has refused to allow NHS surgeries to do the same, with the SDPO blaming the decision on the cost of supplying the correct PPE.

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Edinburgh is showing signs of having one of the slowest economic recoveries in the world post-lockdown as the impact of the Covid-19 crisis takes hold of the habits of the people of the Capital.

Google data, analysed by Dan Cookson, an independent housing and spatial information specialist, shows that the city is struggling to bounce back from the coronavirus lockdown.

The data, which tracks people’s movements and allocates it as being at home, at work, or doing recreation activities, shows that when compared to pre-lockdown, Edinburgh has the lowest workplace activity of anywhere in the world, down 69 per cent as of July 7.

Cities across the UK are among the lowest in the world with Glasgow down 59 per cent, Aberdeen and Greater London down 58 per cent.

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Deaths from Covid-19 have dropped to levels not seen since before the lockdown for the first time since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

The weekly release of figures by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) which counts the number of deaths from confirmed or suspected coronavirus showed an extra 13 deaths were registered between July 6 and July 12.

That is down five compared on the previous week and is the closest to pre-lockdown figures seen throughout the pandemic.

In the week starting March 16, the week prior to lockdown, 11 deaths were recorded by the NRS.

A total of 4,187 people have died in Scotland with confirmed or suspected coronavirus, overall, say the NRS.

The statistics are published weekly and account for all deaths registered in Scotland where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

They differ from the lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths announced daily by the Scottish Government because they include suspected or probable cases of Covid-19.

Fundraising hero Captain Sir Tom Moore is to be knighted by the Queen in his own unique personal open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle on Friday.

The 100-year-old Second World War veteran will travel to the historic royal residence in Berkshire with members of his family for the special outdoor investiture.

Captain Sir Tom raised almost £33 million for health service charities by walking 100 laps of his Bedfordshire garden.

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The First Minister said people should feel positive about the battle against coronavirus as she declared today “a good day” with businesses across Scotland reopening and no Covid-19 deaths reported for the seventh day in a row.

Ms Sturgeon said that supressing the spread of the virus was “going in the right direction” and Scots should feel “motivated into not going backwards”.

However she, and the National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch, again stressed their nervousness as pubs, restaurants and other communal businesses begin to reopen.

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An independent inquiry into the UK Government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic will “certainly” take place, Boris Johnson has pledged.

The Prime Minister told MPs he does not believe now is the right time for such an investigation but it will happen in the future.

Speaking in the Commons, Liberal Democrat acting co-leader Sir Ed Davey said: "Under this PM we suffered one of the worst death rates in the world and Europe's worst death rate for health and care workers.

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