Top story: Trump blames China again
Hello, Warren Murray here with one part of your morning ritual.
Almost 400,000 home sales worth a total of £82bn have been put on hold as a result of lockdown, according a property website. Zoopla says 373,000 sales have stalled since the end of March when ministers told people to delay their home moves if possible, and social distancing rules made valuations and viewings impossible. Zoopla says the market is “in suspended animation” and demand from new buyers has fallen by 70%. As a result it expects the number of sales over the course of the year to be half of 2019’s figure.
Donald Trump has renewed his attacks on China, saying his administration is conducting “serious investigations” into Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak and suggesting he would seek damages for the US. Over the weekend the president swore off giving daily briefings following media coverage of his suggestion that people might inject disinfectant. It didn’t last, with Trump returning to the podium on Monday to say: “We’re doing very serious investigations ... We believe it could have been stopped at the source.”
After being saved by the NHS from his “invisible mugger”, Boris Johnson has made his highly anticipated but ultimately low-key return to 10 Downing Street and the political centre stage. He spoke directly to those pushing for an end to the lockdown sooner rather than later, saying it would risk a second spike of infections and a “new wave of death”.
Ministers meanwhile have held a series of high-level meetings with trade unions and business leaders amid concerns that millions of people will be too fearful to return to work as pressure intensifies on the government to publish a path out of the national lockdown.
New Zealand has ended its strictest lockdown phase and entered Level 3, with 400,000 Kiwis returning to work, takeaways open, and fishing, surfing and swimming permitted. Around the world more than 3,041,700 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19, according to the Johns Hopkins Tracker, and at least 211,167 have died. You’ll find further developments 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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Coal off the grid – Britain this morning has gone without coal-fired power generation for its longest stretch since the Industrial Revolution, breaking the existing record of 18 consecutive days. The UK’s energy system has not used coal-fired plants for the last 436 hours, according to National Grid data, the longest uninterrupted period since 1882. It has happened partly because of a collapse in demand for electricity during the coronavirus lockdown and because of greater use of solar power. The UK’s previous record was set on 4 June 2019. All but four of the UK’s coal power plants have shut in advance of a government ban on coal generation from 2025. Since 2012 the average carbon intensity of the grid – the emissions required to produce one kilowatt hour of energy – has declined by more than two-thirds, from 507g of CO2 to 161g.
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UFO footage released – The Pentagon has released three declassified videos that show US navy pilots encountering “unexplained aerial phenomena” and exchanging excited radio chatter. The videos had been circulating in unauthorised form as far back as 2007. The defence department said it released the footage to “to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not the footage that has been circulating was real or whether or not there is more to the videos”.
“After a thorough review, the department has determined that the authorized release of these unclassified videos does not reveal any sensitive capabilities or systems, and does not impinge on any subsequent investigations of military air space incursions by unidentified aerial phenomena.” The videos show what pilots saw during training flights in 2004 and 2015. The former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, from Nevada, tweeted that what has been released “only scratches the surface of research and materials available”.
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Millions displaced before virus hit – A total of 50.8 million people around the world were recorded as internally displaced in 2019, forced from their homes by conflict and disaster. This is the highest number ever, and 10 million more than in 2018. The figures come from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) in Norway. The most displacements were recorded in sub-Saharan Africa amid violence in the Sahel and conflict in Somalia and South Sudan. Natural disasters in south and east Asia and the Pacific also displaced millions. Alexandra Bilak, the IDMC director, said it was too early to assess the full impact of coronavirus on efforts to address displacement. “If we’re about to plunge into a recession, of course it’s going to have an impact on the generosity of donor governments,” she said. “It’s going to be a really bad situation for everybody.”
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Zoom call scandal – The Financial Times reporter Mark Di Stefano has been suspended after the Independent and the Evening Standard accused him of listening in on sensitive Zoom meetings held by senior managers telling staff about salary cuts and furloughs. In each case Di Stefano, a prolific tweeter with more than 100,000 followers, broke the news of the meetings on Twitter at the same time as staff were being informed. Related stories were subsequently published on the FT website and live blog. The FT has declined to comment.
Coronavirus Extra
After a string of studies that highlight the possible link between air pollution and Covid-19 deaths, Ian Sample hears from Prof Anna Hansell about the complicated relationship between pollution, health and infection with Sars-CoV-2.
Following weeks of isolation many people are falling prey to loneliness. Guardian readers and experts offer their experience and advice on how to get through this distressing, dislocating time.
“The future looks bleak” – what will be left of Europe’s culinary scene after lockdown? Chefs and owners fear bankruptcy as their industry remains in limbo.
Today in Focus podcast: Secrets of Sage
Following the revelation that Boris Johnson’s chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, took part in the key scientific committee meetings tasked with providing independent advice, Anushka Asthana hears from the Observer’s Sonia Sodha and the former chief scientist Sir David King.
Lunchtime read: Face value
The global scramble for face masks has exposed the harsh realities of international politics and the limits of the free market, writes Samanth Subramanian.
Sport
Efforts will intensify this week to find a way to complete the Premier League season, after the government declared its desire to see football back “as soon as possible”. Liverpool have postponed the expansion of the Anfield Road stand by at least 12 months because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The England and Wales Cricket Board has been urged to open up the Hundred to private investment – including equity stakes for counties and even Indian Premier League team owners – in response to the coronavirus crisis. Umar Akmal has been banned from all cricket for three years after the Pakistan batsman failed to report details of corrupt approaches made to him in two separate incidents. Formula One Group is likely to provide the financial backing to enable the British Grand Prix to go ahead behind closed doors this year. And the Six Nations schedule is set for a radical overhaul, with organisers considering creating a new window for the women’s competition to avoid clashing with the men’s tournament.
Business
Asian shares have been mixed as governments inch toward letting businesses reopen and central banks step in to provide cash to economies. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost earlier gains, dipping 0.4% to 19,706.19. South Korea’s Kospi stood virtually unchanged, inching down less than 0.1% to 1,921.39. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.2% to 5,329.50. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.2% to 24,329.34, while the Shanghai Composite fell nearly 0.2% to 2,811.09. The pound is worth $1.241 and €1.147 while the FTSE is trending 0.3% higher at time of writing.
The papers
“PM: We’re moving to second phase of battle” – the Times today says Boris Johnson will detail a limited relaxation of lockdown rules, including the reopening of shops selling non-essential items and allowing small family visits – while schools will stay shut until June. The Guardian has “No 10 in talks to allay public fears over end to lockdown”.
Others seem keen to drum up a narrative that lockdown is nearly over. “Time to fire up engines, says PM”. Well, he didn’t really say that, Telegraph – it was more along the lines that the engines will be fired up when it is safe to do so. “Not much longer”, enthuses the Mirror, while the Sun has “Turning the tide” – which seems more accurate – under a strapline that gasps with relief: “Boris back at last”.
“Hope in sight: talks this week on easing UK lockdown” – can’t really fault the i there. The Express reminds us of the minute’s silence at 11am for NHS workers who have lost their lives: “In memory of their sacrifice”. The Metro leads with “£60,000 for families of lost heroes” – on the payments to those left behind. The Mail remains prosecutorial in its coverage: “Doctors’ PPE desperation” – it adds that “Failure to stockpile gowns and visors dates back 11 years”. We will close with the FT: “Sunak commits to shield economy from ‘cold turkey’ jobless surge” – employment support payments will be wound down rather than cut off abruptly.
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