Top story: Fake news comes home to White House
Hello, Warren Murray with the situation report as of this Monday morning.
Donald Trump has continued to veer towards using the White House briefing room as a newsroom for dubious campaign messages. A few hours ago the president – at what was supposed to be a coronavirus task force briefing – broadcast two selectively edited and somewhat out of date videos featuring the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, appearing to shower him with praise. In fact, two days ago Cuomo eviscerated Trump in scathing 15-minute remarks for “sitting home watching TV” during the crisis and placing emotion, politics and “personal ego” ahead of doing his job.
The heads of all the UN’s major agencies have warned of the risk of coronavirus to the world’s most vulnerable countries after disclosing that international donors have pledged around a quarter of the $2bn the UN requested for its emergency Covid-19 response. In an open letter shared before publication with the Guardian, the most senior emergencies, health and development officials warn that help for the world’s weakest countries is in everyone’s interest, “to stop the virus from spreading unchecked, destroying lives and economies, and continuing to circle around the world”.
Oil prices have slumped to their lowest for two decades as doubts grew about Donald Trump’s hopes of ending the US lockdown and investors braced for a week of potentially damaging figures about the impact of the coronavirus on the world economy. The price of US crude oil plunged almost 20%, to below $15, in early trading on Monday – its lowest point since 1999 – as stockpiles continued to build owing to a crash in demand caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is predicted British households will have £43bn less cash available for essential spending between April and June, as the UK slides into its deepest recession in decades. According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research it equates to a monthly fall of £515 per household. UK retail sales are expected to have fallen by up to 10% in March. Nearly 80% of workers facing job insecurity right now do not have a university degree, according to new research by the consultancy firm McKinsey. “Short-term job risk is highly correlated with level of education, potentially exacerbating existing social inequalities,” McKinsey said. The warning comes as the government starts accepting applications for support from firms that have furloughed staff.
Globally the death toll is approaching 165,000, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center while the total number of infections worldwide has exceeded 2,394,000. US deaths have passed 40,000, with more than 755,000 infections. Italy has said that deaths from the coronavirus pandemic rose by 433 on Sunday, the lowest daily tally in a week. The British government will charter flights to repatriate the most vulnerable Britons stranded in New Zealand this week.
Further coronavirus news as it comes to hand at our live blog.
There’s more in our Coronavirus Extra section further down … and here’s where you can find all our coverage of the outbreak – from breaking news to factchecks and advice.
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Mass shooting by police impostor – Canadian police have said 16 people were killed by a gunman in a 12-hour shooting rampage across Nova Scotia. It is the worst act of mass murder the country has seen in modern times. A police officer was among the dead. Officials said the gunman, named as Gabriel Wortman, a denturist aged 51, also died after shooting people in several locations. Authorities said Wortman drove what appeared to be a police car but was actually an SUV disguised as one. “Today is a devastating day for Nova Scotia and it will remain etched in the minds of many for years to come,” said Lee Bergman, commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
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‘Invasive beyond reason’ – The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have written to the main tabloid editors to say they will never again deal with their journalists, in an unprecedented attack on a large part of the media that leaves little chance of repairing an already fractured relationship with the press. Harry and Meghan sent a letter to the editors of the Sun, Daily Mail, Mirror and Express outlining a policy of “zero engagement” except when necessary through the couple’s lawyers. They said they refused to “offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion” and accused the outlets of running stories that are “distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason”. Meghan is due to take on the Mail on Sunday in a court hearing on Friday after it printed a letter she sent to her estranged father.
Coronavirus Extra
What’s the secret of coronavirus’s “success” in spreading itself around the world? A host of factors determines whether a virus survives and thrives in humans – and Sars-Cov-2 struck it lucky, writes Dr Zania Stamataki, a senior lecturer in viral immunology.
Carol Ann Duffy, the former poet laureate, has launched an international poetry project with other poets, including Imtiaz Dharker and Ian McMillan, as a response to coronavirus. Duffy hopes the project, Write Where We Are Now, can serve as a “living record” of the times. Hands, Duffy’s poem, was written on 26 March and sees the author reflecting on how every Thursday “we clap at the darkness”, and on how she can see the hands of her absent daughter “when I put my head in my own”.
Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans from the Help for Heroes charity have drawn up guidance and support to help NHS workers cope with PTSD from treating coronavirus patients. There is concern that NHS staff are experiencing levels of emotional intensity similar to that on the battlefield.
Today in Focus podcast: Post-viral culture
Three Guardian critics – Ammar Kalia, Laura Snapes and Sian Cain – join Rachel Humphreys with a guide to the best of television, music and books under lockdown. And what the future holds for the arts when conditions are lifted.
Lunchtime read: Seeking Covid-19 answers in Wuhan
Residents of the city where coronavirus first appeared are looking for an explanation from the government about its handling of what became a pandemic, writes Lily Kuo.
Sport
World No 1 Novak Djokovic says his opposition to vaccinations may get in the way of his return to competitive tennis. The organisers of the British Grand Prix have confirmed they would host two consecutive races at Silverstone this season if required and are currently discussing the proposal with Formula One Group. The PGA Tour hopes to take delivery of up to one million Covid-19 test kits to assist with the completion of its season from 11 June. And the Danish football club Midtjylland has installed giant screens in the parking lot of their MCH Arena to allow fans to watch matches from their cars when the Superliga resumes following its suspension for the coronavirus outbreak.
Business
Concerns are growing about the impact of the coronavirus crisis on UK house prices after a new study warned that the outbreak could halt the sale of more than half a million homes. Knight Frank predicts there will be 38% drop in sales this year which will have a ripple effect across the property industry, hitting retailers, removal companies and stamp duty revenue. The FTSE100 is expected to rise 1% at the opening this morning while the pound is buying $1.248 and €1.148.
The papers
Patience has run out over delays getting personal protective equipment – primarily gowns in this instance – to the NHS. “Betrayal of our bravest” scowls the Mail, saying “Doctors face stark choice: Save patients or themselves”. The Mirror calls it a “Coronavirus shambles … New lifesaving kit for NHS heroes doesn’t turn up”. “Deadliest of delays” says the Metro, while in the Guardian: “Hospital leaders attack government as anger over PPE shortage grows”.
The Express, in line with its cult-of-personality approach to all things Boris Johnson, puts our fate in the hands of that one man: “We need Boris! Race to put PM back in charge”. It may help draw some fire away after his failure to attend key Cobra meetings before falling ill. The Sun’s front-page headline is “Pub shuts till Xmas” superimposed on a foaming pint. It goes in to bat for the PM, but more directly than the Express: “Boris fury at ‘smears’”.
The Times and the Telegraph are hard to tell apart as they both carry a picture of a gowned doctor holding a protest sign in Downing Street. The former splashes with “PM resists easing of lockdown”; the latter has “Two-thirds of children fail to log on for lessons”. The i has “Let the nation fall silent for NHS staff who lost their lives” on the proposal for a minute’s silence. Finally the FT: “Sunak unveils £1.2bn rescue fund for start-ups as economic fears rise”.
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