A decade ago, an aroma scraped nostrils in English bars. There was a hint of disinfectant, and yes, behind that, the oh so unmistakably aggressive whiff of urine wafting over from the toilets. For years the locals had been spared this horror by the clouds of smoke that dominated public spaces. But in an instant, the cigarettes were stubbed out thanks to a smoking ban. A decade on, and fortunately the country feels cleaner, as well as healthier. The fug has gone, and so has the smell of wee, leading me to suspect that poor hygiene was fairly prevalent in many pubs pre-2007. Here are eight other things that have changed since the ban came into play.

New balls please. Yes, it’s that time of year, as Wimbledon gets underway on Monday. We’ll all be experts for a fortnight on forehands, backhands, drop shots and volleys. But is it something much more fundamental that will prove crucial in determining who emerges victorious in SW19? Confidence, unsurprisingly, is a key in the armoury of sportspeople – but too much of it can be a bad thing.

It’s 20 years since Hong Kong was handed back to China. A lot has changed in the intervening years: as the Beijing government tightens its grip on the city’s political life, it is also extending its influence around the world as never before – and potentially dividing Europe in the process.

Heading to the cinema later? If you opt for The Mummy you’ll be exposed to curses, bandages and Tom Cruise to boot – but there’s so much more to our perennial obsession with Ancient Egypt than that. Did you know, for instance, that the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb inspired both the Egyptian movement for independence and the Harlem Renaissance, along with the classic Western Tut-mania?

The last few days have also seen Conversation writers interview Norman Tebbit, remember the author behind Paddington Bear and consider the precarious position of Brazilian president Michel Temer. If you enjoy these articles, please share them. And have a great weekend.

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