Newspaper headlines: Double-jabbed 'holiday joy' and defence pact challenged

It's "holiday joy," the Daily Mail declares, saying that by half-term fully vaccinated passengers returning from abroad will require only lateral flow tests.

But, according to the Daily Telegraph, those who've not had jabs may have to self isolate regardless of where they've been. The Guardian thinks they may also face PCR tests.

The Sun raises objections to reports that vaccinated holidaymakers will have to pay £30 for lateral flow tests, as the free NHS kits apparently won't be accepted.

The Times suggests the red list of 62 countries, from where returning passengers must quarantine in hotels, could be halved. It predicts that Turkey, Pakistan and Kenya could all be removed.

The Independent reports on claims by Chinese military experts that Australia could become the target of a nuclear strike because of its pact with the UK and US.

They claim the submarines could be equipped with ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads. The Independent says a pre-emptive strike by China seems unlikely.

The Financial Times points out that the partnership has been welcomed by both Taiwan and Japan. It also notes that China has applied to join a trans-Pacific trade pact, originally designed by Washington to limit Beijing's growing influence in the region, but which former US President Donald Trump abandoned.

The Guardian questions how far US President Joe Biden can go with what it calls this "dual-track strategy", acting competitively on the one hand but signalling to Beijing a wish to collaborate on other issues.

Several papers welcome the pact, including the Mail, which it says offers a "mega-billion boost" to the UK's defence sector" and "epitomises the post-Brexit version of Global Britain."

Meanwhile the Times suggests that the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, will invite UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to join a pact with the European Union on defence and security. EU sources believe Mr Johnson may be more receptive following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Many papers examine what the Daily Express calls the "EU red tape bonfire," which it says could enable shops to sell fruit and vegetables in pounds and ounces again.

The government is reviewing EU laws that were automatically transferred into British legislation after Brexit. According to the Guardian, the general public is being invited to suggest ways regulation could be improved or repealed.

The Sun says it'll "raise a glass" to the plan that will see the Crown stamp return to pint glasses.

As part of the same review, the i says the government will approve genetic engineering in UK farming. The paper stresses that gene editing is very different from genetic modification and could soon be accepted by the European Union.

The Times says the repeals and modifications could result in a return to imperial weights and measures, in what it calls a "win for metric martyrs".

Online, the FT says that the British Chambers of Commerce suggested any changes be checked for their cost benefits.

The Sun suggests that ministers will be required to save businesses £2 for every £1 of red tape introduced.

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There's an appeal by Labour's former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, in the Daily Mirror, for the UK and other western countries to speed up the delivery of Covid vaccines to developing countries.

He says of the 870 million doses promised to Africa and low income countries, only 100 million have arrived.

Mr Brown urges governments to "save countless lives" and end what he describes as "the immoral divide between the vaccine rich and the vaccine poor".