Top story: ‘Mayor Pete’ calls for unity to defeat Trump
Morning everyone. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the top stories to start your week.
Pete Buttigieg has pulled out of the race to be the Democratic party’s US presidential campaign nominee after a poor showing in the South Carolina primary at the weekend. The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana had never held any non-state office but his charismatic campaign style and centrist message helped him upset the odds to claim the Iowa caucus last month. However, he failed to maintain momentum in Nevada and his performance in the first southern contest sealed his fate. Speaking to supporters in South Bend on Sunday night, he called for the party to work together against Donald Trump. Buttigieg’s departure – and that of billionaire Tom Steyer on Saturday – clears the way for a showdown between Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden in tomorrow’s Super Tuesday contests after the former vice president established his standing with a landslide victory in Saturday’s South Carolina contest.
Buttigieg, the first openly gay person to run for a presidential nomination, had cast himself as an outsider in the race, describing his campaign from the relative obscurity of Indiana’s fourth-largest city as “audacious”. But his campaign floundered in the last two contests where he struggled to win over minority voters.
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Death toll mounts – The global death toll from the coronavirus passed 3,000 overnight as cases spiked again in South Korea and the Unites States confirmed a second person had died. The bulk of deaths are still confined to China, where another 42 were recorded on Monday, but the outbreak is spreading steadily, with Indonesia confirming its first two cases today. Australia confirmed its first human-to-human transmission. The second US victim was, like the first, in Washington state. Officials said a 72-year-old man with some pre-existing respiratory problems had died in a nursing home which has been placed in lockdown after several other residents tested positive, as well as one member of staff. The promise of stimulus from central banks has helped stocks bounce back in Asia overnight but Wall Street’s best recognised trader thinks the markets are in for more wild days.
The UK now has 36 confirmed cases of the virus. A patient in Essex who tested positive is the second to do so without having recently travelled abroad. Boris Johnson will chair a Cobra meeting today to review the next steps aimed at containing the virus, which his health secretary, Matt Hancock, said could include closing schools and locking down entire cities.
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This is Europe – The European Union has pledged to help Europeans “outside the mainstream” remain in the UK after Brexit amid concerns that thousands of people such as prisoners, Roma and the elderly will fail to apply to the Home Office to stay. The EU ambassador to the UK, João Vale de Almeida, said Brussels and the embassies of member countries would step up efforts to help those on the margins of society. The story comes as we launch a new series, This is Europe, examining the stories that transcend the continent’s borders. Our editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner, explains that while Britain is leaving Europe, the Guardian is not.
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Grenfell warning – Social housing landlords are facing a bill of £10bn to replace Grenfell-style flammable cladding on flats, the Guardian has been told. Landlords are warning that crucial affordable housebuilding is in jeopardy unless the government funds a bailout to pay for work that it is believed will cost at least 25 times more than the £400m earmarked by ministers. The National Housing Federation chief executive, Kate Henderson, said the “potential costs of this huge programme of work are spiralling.
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Patel row deepens – Boris Johnson is giving ministers a free rein to smear senior civil servants, a union leader has claimed. Dave Penman, the head of the senior civil servants union, the FDA, said No 10 had “ripped up the rule book” that ensured the ministers do not attack government officials. It came as another allegation of bullying by home secretary Priti Patel emerged in the wake of the resignation of Home Office permanent secretary Philip Rutnam.
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Fill your own – Marks & Spencer is extending its “fill your own” trial scheme after research showed that 75% of consumers are trying to reduce the amount of packaging they use. The retailer said its pilot scheme for 44 products at a store in Southampton had been a success and will be expanded this month to include a second store in Manchester city centre. M&S said 25 of its 44 “fill your own” products, including basmati rice, porridge and milk chocolate raisins, were outselling the packaged alternatives.
Today in Focus podcast
A terrorist attack in Hanau was the latest incident of far-right violence in Germany. It’s a growing problem, says the Guardian’s Philip Oltermann. Also today: Amy Hodge on her series of films on Europe after Brexit.
Lunchtime read: ‘Warhol was fashion, but bigger and better’
As a new exhibition on the work of Andy Warhol opens at the Tate Modern next week, we look at the pop artist’s enduring influence on the world of fashion. Simon Chilvers explains Warhol’s obsession with Levi 501s (he wore them under his tux to a White House reception), how he pioneered the suit-jacket-and-jeans look and became synonymous with image (“Warhol was fashion, but bigger and better,” says one observer).
Sport
Pep Guardiola wondered whether Manchester City’s run of domestic trophies would ever be bettered after he saw them beat Aston Villa 2-1 to win the Carabao Cup for a third season in succession. Perhaps avoiding a trouncing was Villa’s trophy, writes Jonathan Liew. Wolves took Spurs’ top-six place in the Premier League with a 3-2 comeback win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Carlo Ancelotti was sent off after VAR ruled out a last-ditch winner in Everton’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United. In La Liga, second-half goals gave Real Madrid a 2-0 victory over Barcelona in the Clásico and put them top of the table by a point.
A third tournament half-century from Nat Sciver led the way as England sailed through to the semi‑finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup after beating West Indies by 46 runs. England have been warned not to underestimate the cross-border passion driving Wales in the build-up to their Six Nations match at Twickenham on Saturday. Finn Russell looks set to return to the Scotland squad – but not until after the Six Nations campaign. Six Nations organisers have refused to rule out the possibility of the competition going behind a £300m paywall in 2022 after the next television rights bids are lodged this month. Heather Watson should climb well into the top 50 rankings after winning the Mexican Open with a 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-1 victory over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez. And Israel Folau impressed for Catalans Dragons in his first Super League match on UK soil as his team hit back from 18 points down to defeat Hull FC 34-29.
Business
Chinese factory output collapsed last month, according to the latest snapshot released overnight. The Caixin purchasing managers’ index of manufacturing gave a reading of 40, the lowest ever recorded, and comes after Saturday’s official survey gave a reading of 35 and hardened fears that the global economy will suffer a huge impact from the coronavirus shutdown in China. The prospect of rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve are now being priced in by investors and the FTSE100 is expected to open up 2% this morning. The pound is buying $1.28 and €1.162.
The papers
Almost every front page leads with the growing virus threat to the UK. The Mail has “Find the hidden virus carriers” and the i says “Virus epidemic moving to ‘next phase’ in UK”. The Sun goes with Matt Hancock’s pledge to limit travel in urban areas – “We’ll put cities in lockdown” – as does the Express – “Cities will shut down in virus battle plan”.
The Guardian splash says “New cases raise fears virus spreading undetected in UK”, the Times has “Johnson: We’ll stop at nothing to tackle virus” and the Telegraph says “Virus will get worse before it gets better, warns PM”. The FT reports “Italy unveils €3.6bn stimulus as world tallies cost of coronavirus”.
Only the Mirror has something different with “309 killed in probation scandal”, an investigation into how “criminals released by private firms commit a murder every four days”.
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