Top story: Beijing expands coronavirus restrictions
Hello, Warren Murray here to make sure you keep up with the pack.
Prof Mauro Giacca of King’s College London has told parliament how he observed catastrophic damage to the lungs of people who died of Covid-19. The cardiovascular scientist described “complete disruption of the lung architecture … something completely different from normal pneumonia, influenza or the Sars virus”. New Zealand has confirmed two cases of Covid-19, ending a 24-day run without any new diagnoses. Two women who arrived in the country from Britain were found to be infected, having been released early from government quarantine to visit a dying relative. The health ministry said the public were not put at risk.
Authorities in Beijing have further expanded coronavirus restrictions, closing sports and entertainment sites across the city and curtailing travel as dozens more cases linked to an outbreak at a food market emerged. More than 20 Beijing neighbourhoods have now been designated medium risk, Reuters reported, and health authorities said sealed-off residences and people in quarantine would have food and medicine delivered to them.
Tourism and travel leaders have expressed disappointment and frustration after it emerged that the UK will not be taking part in an EU-led project to reboot tourism as lockdowns lift. The European commission has launched an app and website with information on border restrictions and coronavirus rules, transport, travel restrictions, and health and safety measures such as physical distancing and face coverings. A commission spokesman told the Guardian the UK had not asked to be involved even though it was open to non-EU countries. Stick with our global live blog for all the latest.
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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‘Grievance’ jibe of race tsar – Dismay has greeted the appointment of Munira Mirza as the head of Boris Johnson’s commission on racial equalities, after she previously complained of a “grievance culture” among those fighting racism, and loudly criticised previous government attempts to tackle structural factors behind racial inequality. In the US, the family of Rayshard Brooks have urged protesters to stay peaceful while calling for murder charges against police and reforms to policing in Atlanta. Brooks was shot dead following a struggle with officers over a Taser.
A harrowing new report titled Reconstruction in America has documented more than 2,000 black victims of racial terror lynchings killed between 1865 after the civil war ended and 1876. As Ed Pilkington reports, it adds to more than 4,400 previously documented black victims of racial terror lynchings from the post-Reconstruction period, 1877 to 1950 – bringing to around 6,500 the number of black men, women and children who were supposedly free yet were murdered.
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Tigers, pigs and Brexit – Boris Johnson has said there is no reason why the outline of a Brexit deal cannot be sealed by the end of July after EU leaders agreed to strive for common ground on trade and security.
However, there were immediate signs of tensions, with the president of the EU council, Charles Michel, tweeting after a videoconference with the PM that he would accept a “tiger in the tank” as exhorted by Johnson, but the EU would not agree to a “pig in the poke”. Differences remain, especially over “level playing field” conditions attached to a free trade agreement, fisheries, police cooperation and governance of the future agreement. After the meeting, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European commission, acknowledged that Michael Gove had formally notified the EU that the UK would not be seeking to extend the transition period.
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‘Golden state killer’ in plea deal – An ex-policeman in California charged as the “Golden State Killer” with 13 murders and as many kidnappings is expected to plead guilty to avoid execution, according to reports. Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested in 2018, capping more than 40 years of investigation. Authorities say DeAngelo, who was an officer in two small-town California police departments during the 1970s, was also suspected of dozens of rapes and more than 120 burglaries in and around Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay area and southern California. Officials say the case was finally solved by comparing crime scene DNA to information on genealogy websites.
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LGBTQ+ victory over job prejudice – The US supreme court has ruled that a landmark 1964 civil rights law protects gay and transgender workers from discrimination in a historic victory for the LGBTQ+ community. The six-to-three verdict is the biggest victory for LGBTQ+ rights since the court upheld marriage equality in 2015 and for the first time extends federal workplace protections to LGBTQ+ workers nationwide. Before the ruling job discrimination against gay and transgender workers was still legal in much of the nation. This morning our long read examines how globalisation has transformed the fight for LGBTQ+ rights but also whipped up a strong conservative headwind against progress.
Coronavirus Extra
Researchers at Imperial College London are this week beginning clinical trials of their possible coronavirus vaccine in 300 people. The hope is that tests could move on to 6,000 volunteers if there is an effective immune response. Robin Shattock, the professor leading its development, has said early vaccines might not completely stop a person contracting the virus but “it’s quite possible a vaccine that only protects against severe disease would be very useful”.
In our science podcast: following on from several listener questions about the role of air conditioning in buildings and on public transport, Hannah Devlin asks Dr Lena Ciric whether we should be turning our AC systems on or off to guard against Covid-19.
Today in Focus podcast: Facebook, Twitter and Trump
As protests erupted throughout the US, Donald Trump posted incendiary comments to social media. While Twitter hid the president’s post, Facebook took no action. The Guardian’s Alex Hern looks at what happened next.
Lunchtime read: Underground hairdressers of lockdown
Many stylists and barbers have been secretly working to keep us groomed during the pandemic, despite it being against the rules. But who are their clients – and aren’t they worried about spreading coronavirus?
Sport
Premier League players have been told not to spit, clear their nose or surround match officials when the season restarts, and will be directed towards a “celebration camera” after scoring in closed-doors matches. Marcus Rashford has vowed not to give up after Boris Johnson rejected a plea from the Manchester United and England striker to reconsider the government’s decision not to extend its free school meals voucher system. Teenage French climbing prodigy and Olympic hopeful Luce Douady has died after falling on a footpath in a climbing area in the French Alps. The shape of this autumn’s international rugby programme will be confirmed by the end of this month but negotiations about a new global fixture calendar remain ongoing. Jofra Archer was lost to West Indies when making his England debut last summer but there is a growing belief among the tourists that the current crop of Caribbean fast bowlers could be their best since the glory days. And an Englishman, Nick Hockley, has been put in charge of Australian cricket following the resignation of CEO Kevin Roberts.
Business
Asian shares have risen, cheered by fresh moves by the US Federal Reserve to support markets battered by the coronavirus pandemic. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was up 3.2% at time of writing, South Korea’s Kospi was 4.5% higher, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 jumped 3.7%. The Hang Seng added 2.6% while the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.9%. Just at the moment the pound is worth $1.266 and €1.117 while the FTSE is trending higher ahead of the open.
The papers
The Guardian leads with “Policy chief setting up race inquiry ‘denies institutional racism exists’” and our front-page picture is shoppers banked up outside Topshop on Oxford Street in London as stores reopened. The i says “Retail therapy aids stricken US economy” while the Metro goes with “Queue here … to get UK PLC going again”.
The Telegraph quotes William Hague saying “Lockdown a ‘disaster’ for society”. The former Tory leader, it says, is warning that the “UK cannot shut down again as economic ‘catastrophe’ looms”. The Times has “Millions of pupils doing no work” – here’s our take on fears for the education of many children under lockdown.
“PM: no ifs, no buts … Brexit deal by July” – the Express reheats some past-expiry Johnson-ese, freshed up with “a bit of oomph” as it reports on the status of talks with the EU. We’ll let the FT explain more fully: “Johnson and EU pledge revival in trade talks to seal post-Brexit deal”.
The Mirror goes with “Hero versus a zero” after the footballer Marcus Rashford challenged Johnson to bring in free school meals over the summer for the sake of disadvantaged children. “Minister – I KNEW I was saving tycoon millions” – the Mail goes after Robert Jenrick who overruled a local council about a community levy that would have extracted tens of millions of pounds from Richard Desmond, the Tory donor and media mogul.
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