Coronavirus - 24th May

Summary for Sunday, 24th May

• British PM Boris Johnson is standing by his chief adviser who faces fresh allegations that he breached the UK's coronavirus restrictions
  
• Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez has announced a resumption of foreign tourism from July
  
• Mr Sánchez also said La Liga could resume behind closed doors from 8 June
  
• Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, under lockdown
  
• France has ordered a review of the drug hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 after a study suggested it raised mortality rates
  
• New York state's daily death toll has dropped below 100 for the first time since late March
  
• Argentina is extending a lockdown in the capital, Buenos Aires, for another two weeks as cases there continue to rise
  
• Globally, more than 5.3m cases have been recorded, says Johns Hopkins University; 342,000 have died and 2m have recovered
  

Hello and welcome back to our rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s a quick roundup of events from overnight and this morning:

• Downing Street says British PM Boris Johnson is standing by his chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, who faces fresh accusations of breaking lockdown rules by travelling to be near relatives.
  
• Cummings says he acted "reasonably and legally" by driving from London to Durham while his wife had coronavirus symptoms, but new allegations have since emerged of further trips within and to the north-east of England
  
• French churches are celebrating Sunday Mass for the first time in two months. Worshippers must adhere to strict social distancing rules
  
• France's health minister has ordered a review of the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 patients after a study suggested that it raised mortality rates. US President Donald Trump has promoted the use of the drug, which is undergoing trials around the world
  
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says the country will reopen to international tourism in July "in safe conditions". He has not yet given any details. La Liga will also resume behind closed doors on 8 June
  
• New York state's daily death toll has dropped below 100 for the first time since late March. The US accounts for nearly a third of all global infections worldwide. Meanwhile, the New York Times has devoted its entire front page to the names of victims of the coronavirus
  

Cummings faces fresh allegations over lockdown breach

The prime minister's chief aide Dominic Cummings is facing fresh allegations that he breached lockdown rules.
He and the government said he acted "reasonably and legally" by driving from London to Durham with his wife and young son to be near relatives when she developed coronavirus symptoms in case they needed help with childcare.
But the Observer and Sunday Mirror now claim he was seen in the North East twice more, including once after he had returned to work in London.
Downing Street says the story is "inaccurate".
The two newspapers say witnesses reported seeing Cummings in Barnard Castle, more than 25 miles from Durham, on 12 April and in Houghall Woods near Durham on 19 April.
Cummings, who was photographed in London on 14 April, is yet to respond to the new claims, but the Sunday Telegraph reports that he told Downing Street the allegations that he made a second trip from London to Durham were "totally false".

Wuhan lab denies link to coronavirus

The director of a Chinese virology institute in Wuhan, the city where the new coronavirus first emerged late last year, says her centre has three live strains of bat coronavirus but none match the new strain that causes Covid-19.
In an interview with state broadcaster CGTN, Wang Yanyi dismissed reports that the virus now sweeping the world could have originated from the institute.
"This is pure fabrication," she said. "Our institute first received a clinical sample of the unknown pneumonia on 30 December. After we checked the pathogen within the sample, we found it contained a new coronavirus. We didn't have any knowledge before that, nor had we ever encountered, researched or kept the virus."
The virus is widely believed to have come from a live food market in Wuhan - possibly from bats - but US President Donald Trump has suggested that China could be covering up an accidental leak from a lab. China has dismissed the claim.

What's coming up...

The Andrew Marr Show
There’s a packed schedule on The Andrew Marr Show in the UK this Sunday morning.
Here is how it looks:

• UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps
  
• Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds
  
• BBC Director-General, Lord Tony Hall
  
• President of The Royal Society and Sage member, Sir Venki Ramakrishnan
  
• Chief executive of AstraZeneca, Pascal Soriot
  

The panellists also include Daily Mirror journalist Pippa Crerar who helped break the story around Dominic Cummings.
Not one to miss on BBC One.

The newspaper headlines

As you might imagine, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's embattled chief aide Dominic Cummings is featured on most of Sunday's national newspaper front pages.
A witness tells the Sunday Mirror and the Observer they saw Mr Cummings admiring bluebells at a beauty spot in County Durham, days after he returned to London.
Another claims to have spotted the Vote Leave strategist a week earlier, on Easter Sunday, at Barnard Castle, about 25 miles from Durham.

France orders review into hydroxychloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine is used as a treatment for malaria, lupus and arthritis

French Health Minister Olivier Véran has ordered a review of the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19 after a study suggested that it raised mortality rates.
US President Donald Trump has promoted the anti-malarial drug and recently said he was taking it to ward off the virus.
In a tweet, Mr Véran said he'd asked the government's health advisory committee to re-evaluate the drug's prescription guidelines within 48 hours. He described the results of research published by The Lancet medical journal as alarming.

US newspaper devotes front page to victims

Talking of newspaper front pages…
In the US the New York Times has devoted its entire front page to the names of 1,000 of the victims as the nation approaches 100,000 deaths.
The paper's headline describes the deaths suffered since January as an “incalculable loss”.
New York state was once the epicentre of the US coronavirus outbreak, with more than 28,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The US has the biggest death toll from Covid-19 at more than 97,000 with the UK second at just less than 37,000.

Who am I allowed to meet?

The row involving Dominic Cummings has raised questions about how much contact the lockdown measures allow.
Guidelines in England currently allow one person to meet someone from outside their household outdoors, as long as they stay more than 2m apart. That means, for example, they could have a picnic in the park, or play a non-contact sport, provided they observe social distancing.
This only applies to two individuals from separate households, so you would still not be allowed to meet both your parents together.
You can read more in our article here.

Conservative MP calls for Cummings to resign

A prominent member of the 1922 Committee composed of Conservative backbench MPs has called for Dominic Cummings “to go”.
Steve Baker, the MP for Wycombe and former Brexit minister, tweeted: "It is intolerable that Boris' government is losing so much political capital.
Three changes are immediately required:

1. Govt needs competitive expert advice
   
2. Govt must insist on high software engineering standards
   
3. Dominic Cummings must go"
   

In The Critic magazine, Baker called Cummings "brilliant" but wrote that allegations of a further breach of lockdown in the Sunday papers were a "disaster" and that he had clearly broke guidance which kept parents at home.
He added: "Dominic Cummings must go before he does any more harm to the UK, the Government, the Prime Minister, our institutions or the Conservative Party. It is time for Dom to resign so Boris can govern within the conventions and norms which will see us through."

NBA in talks to resume season at Disney in late July

In the US the National Basketball Association is in “exploratory” talks to resume the season at Florida's Disney World Resort in late July.
The competition has been shut down since 11 March due to the pandemic.
All games and practice sessions would be staged and the players would be housed at the venue in Orlando.
An NBA spokesman said: “Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place."

Mirror 'standing by Cummings story'

Pippa Crerar, political editor of the Daily Mirror, tells the BBC's Andrew Marr that the newspaper is standing by its story.
The Mirror quotes sources as saying that after Cummings went to County Durham he was then seen about 30 miles away from his parents' home. They also say that after Cummings returned to London he then made a second trip up to the north-east.
Downing Street has said the story is "inaccurate".

Who is Dominic Cummings?

The man at the centre of the allegations splashed across the UK front pages today has made a career out of defying conventional wisdom and trying to upset the established order.
He is one of Boris Johnson's closest political aides, who made his name as the mastermind of the successful 2016 Vote Leave campaign to take Britain out of the European Union.
But what else do you need to know? You can read the BBC's profile of Dominic Cummings here.

Cummings has 'vital questions' to answer

For Labour, Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds tells Andrew Marr that many UK citizens have made sacrifices by following government guidelines on travel and that Dominic Cummings needs to answer "vital questions" about his movements.
"The allegations are extraordinarily serious," he says.

Fresh Cummings allegations 'completely untrue' - UK transport secretary

The UK transport secretary has said it is "completely untrue" that the prime minister's chief aide travelled back to Durham after returning to London in April.
Speaking on Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Grant Shapps said it was "not the case that [Mr Cummings] has travelled backwards and forwards".
"When he came back to London on 14 April he's remained in London since and hasn't been back to Durham," Mr Shapps said, adding that there were "lots of things being said that are completely untrue".
Mr Shapps was asked about fresh allegations in the Observer and Sunday Mirror that Mr Cummings was seen on two more occasions in the North East, after recovering from his own Covid-19 symptoms and returning to work in London.
Mr Shapps said: "I certainly know that the first one of travelling back up, I know that that one is not true.
"I'm afraid I don't know [about the first alleged sighting, in Barnard Castle on 12 April]."
It comes after senior Conservative backbencher Steve Baker told the Sophy Ridge programme that "no-one is indispensable" and called for Mr Cummings to resign.
"If he doesn't resign we will keep burning through Boris Johnson's political capital at a rate that we can ill afford in the midst of this crisis," he said

More Conservative MPs join criticism of Cummings

More Conservative MPs have followed Steve Baker in their criticism of Dominic Cummings.
Simon Hoare, the MP for North Dorset and chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster, wrote on Twitter: "With the damage Mr Cummings is doing to the Government’s reputation he must consider his position.
"Lockdown has had its challenges for everyone. It’s his cavalier 'I don’t care; I’m cleverer than you' tone that infuriates people. He is now wounding the PM/Govt & I don’t like that."
While former DCMS chair Damian Collins, who has previously criticised Cummings appointment as a Downing Street adviser, wrote that the "government would be better without him".

Cummings' father contacted police about security' - Shapps

Dominic Cummings' father contacted police in Durham "not the other way round", the UK transport secretary has said.
Speaking on Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday about reports that the force spoke with Mr Cummings' family members about his lockdown trip from London, Mr Shapps said the "police were actually advising about some security matters".
"I think in fact it was Mr Cummings' father who contacted the police and not the other way round, and actually it was in reference to some security advice, which the family don't want to go into, not about this specific issue," he said.
Mr Shapps was asked whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson knew where his chief aide was at the time.
He said that Mr Johnson "during the same period was pretty ill [...] so I don't think this would have been high on the prime minister's agenda".
Mr Shapps added: "I don't know whether the prime minister tracks every move of Dominic Cummings.
"I think he knew that Dominic Cummings was ill and was self-isolating."

Online concert held to support Algerian protesters

Algerian musicians around the world have held an online concert to show their support for protests in the north African country, which were called to a halt in order to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Protesters have been calling for a change in the political system since February 2019, after the then-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced he was going to seek a fifth term in office.
But they called off their weekly anti-government demonstrations in March to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Authorities banned the demonstrations, but opposition activists also urged supporters to stay inside.

Death and despair as India's migrant workers flee cities

India’s strict lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus meant that most factories and businesses shut down, rendering millions jobless.
With no prospect of income, they took long journeys to go back to their villages. Some managed to get transport, but those who couldn’t, walked hundreds of miles.
And some of them never made it home, dying of exhaustion or in accidents along the road.

What's the latest in Europe?

• The UK prime minister's chief aide Dominic Cummings is facing fresh allegations that he broke lockdown rules
  
• Spain has announced the resumption of foreign tourism and its top football league, but thousands of people in the country protested on Saturday against the government's handling of the coronavirus outbreak
  
• In France, the health minister has ordered a review of the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 patients after a study suggested that it raised mortality rates
  
• And Russia reported 153 coronavirus deaths on Sunday, bringing its total to 3,541. The country also reported 8,599 new cases, bring its total infections to 344,481
  

Muslims celebrate Eid under lockdown

The pandemic is curtailing Eid al-Fitr celebrations around the world.
The Islamic festival that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan is normally a time of feasting and family gatherings. But this year millions of Muslims around the world are being urged to stay at home.

Saudi Arabia has ordered a complete lockdown during the festival. Here a worshipper at the Grand Mosque in Mecca offers sweets to security guards


Turkey has also imposed a strict lockdown. The Imam of Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul is pictured reciting morning prayers for Eid behind locked doors


In Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population, the streets are largely deserted. But these health workers who are treating Covid-19 patients managed to enjoy a communal meal in Tangerang


With large get-togethers discouraged, these Muslims in Nairobi, Kenya, held prayers at a small courtyard next to their home

Chinese foreign minister hits back at US

Stephen McDonell - BBC News, China correspondent
Once a year the Chinese foreign minister holds a highly-orchestrated press conference on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress. The questions are vetted and the answers prepared so the responses can be seen as a clear message from Beijing to the world.
Wang Yi said he hoped American people’s lives would soon return to normal but that it was “regrettable that a political virus [was] also spreading in the US, jumping at any opportunity to attack and slander China”.
He called on the US to stop “wasting precious time”, adding that people were dreaming if they thought China would pay compensation for damage caused by the pandemic.
The foreign minister also defended the World Health Organization, saying those countries which had ignored its advice were now “paying a heavy price”.

More Tory MPs call for Cummings to go

A growing number of Conservative MPs are calling for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to sack his top aide, Dominic Cummings.
It comes after prominent 1922 Committee member Steve Baker first said this morning Cummings "must go".
Other Tory MPs include:

• Sir Roger Gale, MP for North Thanet, who tweeted that Cummings' position "is no longer tenable"
  
• Caroline Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton, who tweeted "there cannot be one rule for most of us and wriggle room for others"
  
• Craig Whittaker, MP for Calder Valley, who agreed Cummings' position was "untenable" and tweeted that "you cannot advise the nation one thing then do the opposite"
  
• Damian Collins, MP for Folkestone and Hythe and former chair of the digital, culture, media and sport Committee, who tweeted "the government would be better without [Cummings]"
  Simon Hoare, MP for North Dorset, who tweeted that Cummings "must consider his position" and was "wounding the PM/Govt"
  
• Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough and Rushden, told LBC that Cummings "has to go" because he broke the rules and has not apologised
  William Wragg, MP for Hazel Grove, has retweeted Baker's criticism of Cummings.
  

Former FA chief warns of 'financial maelstrom' in EFL

Former FA chief executive Mark Palios says the financial impact of the pandemic on English Football League clubs could be greater than £200m.
Earlier in May, EFL chairman Rick Parry said clubs would face a "£200m hole" by September.
“There is a real financial maelstrom coming towards the league at this point in time, Palios, who is chairman of League One Tranmere, told Sky.
“I think what you’ll see is a lot of clubs will stumble down the road to insolvency.”
Palios also called for more talks between the EFL and the Professional Footballers’ Association and a relaxation of rules to lessen the effects of the pandemic.
The Premier League hopes to resume matches in June but in the EFL, League Two has already been curtailed. There is no agreement on how to proceed in League One, but Championship clubs are getting ready to restart.

Cummings denies returning to Durham

Dominic Cummings was seen leaving his home in north London with his wife and son shortly after 11:00 BST.
After one journalist asked if he had returned to Durham in April, Boris Johnson's top aide said: "No, I did not."
Cummings, who was wearing a lanyard with an ID card, was carrying a notepad and what appeared to be a black bin bag.
The family then got in the car and drove away.

Irish hospitals charging patients and visitors exorbitant parking fees during COVID-19 crisis

IRISH HOSPITALS have continued to charge patients and visitors exorbitant fees to use on-site car parking facilities despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it has been revealed.
According to an investigation from the Irish Mirror, parking fees charged by hospital groups across Ireland during the pandemic start at €2 for just 25 minutes and €3.20 for an hour.
In some cases, parking charges have amounted to as much as €3 for just half an hour while there are few, if any, exemptions available for patients or parents visiting an ill child or relative.
While the HSE issues a directive back in March making hospital parking free to all staff working through the pandemic, no allowances have been given for patients and visitors affected by the virus.
Fianna Fail’s health spokesperson Stephen Donnelly has condemned the practice and called on hospital parking charges to be scrapped altogether.
“People have enough strife to be dealing with when they are in hospital or are visiting a loved one, especially during this emergency we are now in,” he told the Irish Mirror.
“And I think it’s ridiculous that the hospitals didn’t go further after they were ordered to implement free parking for staff by the HSE.
“So I would encourage all of the hospitals still charging in their car parks to act now, cancel parking charges, take it on board themselves because it’s just not right.
“It’s something [parking for charging] that I think should just not be happening.”
The full Irish Mirror investigation can be read here.

Virologist warns of risk of virus on petrol pumps

It’s not known if Dominic Cummings stopped at service stations when he drove from London to Durham, but the BBC has been told the coronavirus could survive on a petrol pump for “quite a few days”.
Dr Joe Grove, a virologist at University College London, says he can’t comment on Dominic Cummings case because levels of infection can vary from person to person, but the virus can survive on hard surfaces made from metal or plastic for several days.
“If there was a virus on someone’s hands, they could leave some behind,” explains Dr Grove.
Dominic Cummings made his journey at the end of March when London was the epicentre of the crisis. Dr Grove says lockdown had been put in place to stop the virus spreading to other parts of the country.
Figures show the North East and Yorkshire currently have the highest rates of infections in England.
Dr Gove says: “We’ve often stressed the importance of people acting for the greater good of the community - which is necessary for the success of lockdown and track and trace. The government needs to lead by example. We need role models.”

Cummings seen arriving at Downing Street

Dominic Cummings has been seen in television footage arriving in Downing Street.

What's the latest from Africa?

The latest tally by the African Union's Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention shows that 104,279 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the AU's 55 member states, with 3,185 deaths and 41,717 recoveries.
Other developments from the continent include:

• South Africa is set to further ease restrictions with an expected move to level three of its lockdown on 1 June. If the move goes ahead, schools will reopen for grades 7 and 12 and some sectors of the economy will be allowed to trade. There could also be limited national air travel. Curbs were eased to level 4 on 1 May, allowing some exercise
  
• In Nigeria, the Muslim Public Affairs Centre has called on all Muslims celebrating Eid to do so at home or with family members only, in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19. Other African countries have issued similar advice
  
• Sudan's government spokesman Faysal Mohamed Saleh has blamed people ignoring lockdown rules for a surge of coronavirus cases in the country. He said the government would take action against those who broke the rules. No movement is allowed between states except with a certified permit.
  
• Zambia's information minister says she has gone into self-isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus. "Even after taking all precautions... yesterday I did test positive for Covid-19," Dora Siliya said on social media, adding that she was not showing any symptoms of the disease.
  

Analysis: Cummings row risks muddying No 10's message

Helen Catt - Political correspondent
Dominic Cummings going into Downing Street today is more than just a row about the future of one man or even politics.
To understand why, I think it helps to look at the context of where we have been in this pandemic and where we might potentially be going.
This argument about Dominic Cummings' movements relate to the time when the lockdown restrictions were at their strictest and people were observing them. It was when we had only four reasons to leave the house. They have since been loosened.
The guidance if someone in your household has coronavirus symptoms has not changed. It is much stricter - if you can at all possible stay in the house, you shouldn't be leaving the house.
That becomes important when you look where we potentially might be going. You will remember 1 June is the date Boris Johnson said we might move to phase two, like non-essential shops reopening.
But a key part of the government being able to do that is having the confidence they can control any further outbreaks. Having clarity of message for what people should do if they are exposed to symptoms is incredibly important. This row risks muddying it.

Air France to halve emissions in bailout deal

Air France has promised to halve its domestic emissions of carbon dioxide in the next four years, in return for state loan guarantees to survive the damage caused by coronavirus.
France has offered the airline a package of loans worth more than $7 billion (£5.7 billion), France's minister for ecological transition said.
Elisabeth Borne told a French public radio station that Air France would have to drastically reduce domestic flights, on routes that you can travel by rail in less than two and a half hours.
Borne also announced a proposed 5 billion euro (£4.4 billion) state loan to Renault. However, the deal has not been signed off yet as the car maker still needs to agree to stop developing production capacity abroad.

Couple sent home after travelling for break in Cotswolds

A couple who travelled for six hours to stay in a UK beauty spot over the Bank Holiday weekend were promptly told to turn around and return home.
Gloucestershire Police said an officer greeted the couple when they reached the town of Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds on Saturday, to advise them that holiday lets were not open.
Under current government guidelines, people are able to travel as far as they wish for exercise purposes, but overnight stays are not yet permitted.
Families in Stoke-on-Trent have also been urged to follow public health advice after their were reports that closure notices on playgrounds in parks had been disregarded.
The number of confirmed cases in the city has been falling, but is still higher than the England and West Midlands averages, the local council has said.

What did Cummings do during lockdown?

The UK prime minister's most senior adviser, Dominic Cummings, is facing multiple accusations that he broke lockdown rules.
Here we look at what we know about the claims.

Tests discover 10 positive cases at English football clubs

Eight Premier League footballers or officials have now tested positive for coronavirus after an unnamed Bournemouth player was one of two new cases discovered in the latest round of tests.
The English top-flight, which hopes to restart in June, has tested 1744 players and officials.
In 1014 tests conducted at Championship clubs, two people at Hull City were the only ones to produce positive tests. Teams in the 24-club second tier are due to resume training on Monday.
Last weekend, Germany's top two divisions became the first major European leagues to resume.
German clubs returned 10 positive results from 1,724 coronavirus tests, it was announced on 5 May. Matches resumed behind closed doors 11 days later.
Spain's La Liga has been given the go-ahead to restart from 8 June. Five players tested positive across Spain's top two divisions before clubs were allowed to begin individual training on 18 May.

Wuhan tests more than a million in a day

Wuhan, the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began, conducted well over 1 million nucleic acid tests on Saturday, the local health authority said.
A total of 1.1 million tests were administered, down from 1.4 million the day before.
A new mass testing drive started following the emergence of a cluster of new infections. Authorities had originally promised to test all 11 million people in 10 days.
A wet market in Wuhan is believed to be the source of Covid-19, which has claimed the lives of more than 341,000 globally.
See here for information on the tests that are being done in the UK.

164 positive tests at world's deepest mine

One hundred and sixty four workers at the world's deepest mine have tested positive for coronavirus.
The Mponeng gold mine in South Africa, owned by AngloGold Ashanti, will be closed until further notice.
It had restarted operations at 50% capacity on 22 April after closing entirely during a nationwide lockdown.
Mine workers in South Africa had expressed concern at the decision to reopen because of difficulties with social distancing.

Full explanation' needed over Cummings claims, Labour says

Jonathan Ashworth

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson should provide a "full explanation" over claims his chief aide broke lockdown travel rules, Labour's shadow health secretary has said.
Jonathan Ashworth told the BBC that the government's response so far "had more holes in it than a block of Swiss cheese".
He said people had been told to stay at home to protect themselves and others from the "deadly, deadly virus which spreads with speed".
"[Cummings'] behaviour is utterly irresponsible. He has undermined that rule, as have a whole chorus of cabinet ministers, including the health secretary, extraordinarily, undermined that public health rule which is about keeping people safe."
On Saturday, a number of cabinet ministers tweeted their support for Cummings over claims he broke lockdown rules by travelling 260 miles with his wife, who had Covid-19 symptoms, and child in order to get childcare.
"This is difficult for so many people and yet Mr Cummings, Boris Johnson's right-hand man, has completely disregarded that rule", he added.

The view from Downing Street

Nick Eardley - Political correspondent
I don't know for sure if Dominic Cummings is meeting the prime minister now, but I do know that both of them are in No 10.
The PM is working from Downing Street this weekend. Dominic Cummings' car is still here.
Mr Cummings has been in there for three hours, so clearly something is going on in there. But we are not sure whether it's crisis talks over what Mr Cummings has actually been up to - whether he broke or bent the guidance over staying at home if you have coronavirus - or if he's just in for a normal weekend.
But this is anything but a normal weekend for the Downing Street operation.
The last thing they want to be talking about at the moment is whether one of the top aides to the PM has broken the rules.
It's a really crucial week coming up in the UK. The cabinet is meeting tomorrow to discuss whether it can start moving to the next phase of the response to coronavirus, which would see schools starting to return, which might see some non-essential shops open up.
That's what Boris Johnson wants to be concentrating on.
Instead, there's this furore over Mr Cummings and a lot of pressure building on Mr Johnson and the Downing Street operation to basically make a decision and potentially to sack Mr Cummings.

French urged to holiday closer to home

A French minister says citizens in need of a summer holiday should not stray beyond the country's borders.
"We absolutely do not invite the French to book their holidays abroad," Elisabeth Borne, minister for ecological transition, told France Inter radio. "This year, the idea is rather to spend your holidays in France."
She said the government would announce next week whether rules on domestic travel would be eased.
At the moment people cannot travel more than 100km (62 miles) from home.
Parks in Paris will remain closed, Borne added, because the city is still a "red zone" for coronavirus transmission.

Public return to St Peter's Square for Pope's blessing

The public returned to St Peter's Square on Sunday to receive Pope Francis's blessing for the first time in nearly three months.
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church called for a year of reflection on the environment as he delivered his message via the internet before he moved to bless the few dozen attendees from his window.
Those present maintained social distancing rules and most wore masks.
The square was reopened on Monday along with St Peter's Basilica following lockdown.

UK nations announce more coronavirus deaths

NHS England has announced 147 more people have died in hospitals in England after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths in the nation to 25,691.
Of the new deaths announced:

• 28 occurred on 23 May
  
• 40 occurred on 22 May
  
• 12 occurred on 21 May
  

The figures also show 49 of the new deaths took place between 1 and 20 May, 16 were in April, and the remaining two occurred in March with the earliest new death on 13 March.
It comes as nine more people have died in Scotland after testing positive with coronavirus, bringing the total there to 2,270, according to the Scottish Government.
A further seven people have died in Wales, bringing the total there to 1,267, Public Health Wales said.
And one more person has died in Northern Ireland after testing positive for coronavirus, according to the Department of Health.
Separate UK-wide death figures will be released by the Department of Health and Social Care later.

'Very clear' Cummings broke lockdown rules - ex-Durham police chief

It is "very clear" Dominic Cummings broke the UK lockdown rules and his actions will now make policing more difficult, former Durham Police Chief Constable Mike Barton says.
Cummings, Boris Johnson's chief advisor, has been criticised for travelling from London to Durham while his wife had coronavirus symptoms and is also facing fresh allegations of a second trip to the north east.
Regarding the first trip, Cummings said he acted "reasonably and legally" as he travelled for childcare purposes.
Barton said Cummings' defence is "rubbish".
"The area they [the government] are going to, which mentions children, does not allow you to do what they did," he said.
"The Deputy Chief Medical Officer made it really clear that it has got to be a life-threatening issue. This was not life threatening.
"Let's not beat around bush. I am making really clear - 40 years of policing understanding the law and interpreting the law - reasonable excuse is not to do what they did."
Barton said "of course" Cummings' actions would make policing more difficult.
"What makes it really hard, not only fact Cummings did this but the fact he is completely unrepentant," Barton added.
"Not only that, but you have got a government minister yesterday, [transport secretary] Mr Shapps, making it up as he was going along simply to save the skin of an advisor to the prime minister.
"I think it is appalling."

NY barber who ignored lockdown tests positive for Covid-19

A New York barber who ignored lockdown restrictions and continued providing haircuts has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Anyone who received a haircut from Broadway in Kingston, New York, in the last three weeks should get tested for Covid-19, officials said.
The barber has not been publicly identified.
"Learning that a barbershop has been operating illicitly for weeks with a Covid-19 positive employee is extraordinarily disheartening," Ulster County Health Commissioner Carol Smith said.
"As much as we would all like to go out and get a professional haircut, this kind of direct contact has the potential to dramatically spread this virus throughout our community and beyond."
New York state was once the epicentre of the US coronavirus outbreak, with more than 28,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Summer holidays may be cancelled, warns ex-Ofsted chief

Summer holidays may have to be cancelled for some pupils, a former Ofsted chief inspector has said.
Sir Michael Wilshaw warned that year groups about to take exams may need to make up for lost time during the summer break.
A decision on when to reopen schools is widely expected on Thursday.
The Department for Education said there were no plans to cancel holidays and a teaching union said the idea was "not realistic".

• Read more here
  

'Stay at home' clips played outside home of UK PM's aide

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's top adviser is under pressure to resign after claims he breached lockdown rules.
Some have taken to Dominic Cummings' street in London to protest.
Among the demonstrations was this van carrying a large TV screen which displayed some of the "stay at home" messages that Johnson had given to the public during recent televised addresses.
The drive-by demo was reportedly organised by political campaign group Led by Donkeys.

Trump lashes out at postal votes during pandemic

US President Donald Trump has hit out at plans to increase the use of postal votes during the pandemic, saying it would make this year's presidential election "the greatest rigged election in history".

  :tweet: :Left Quotes: Donald J. Trump:
The United States cannot have all Mail In Ballots. It will be the greatest Rigged Election in history. People grab them from mailboxes, print thousands of forgeries and “force” people to sign. Also, forge names. Some absentee OK, when necessary. Trying to use Covid for this Scam!

Mr Trump has previously claimed that absentee ballots were open to voter fraud and has threatened to withhold federal funds from two states - Nevada and Michigan - after they took steps to ramp up postal voting.
Experts say that although voting by post is more vulnerable to fraud than voting in person, all forms of voter fraud in the US are very rare

Tory MP 'sorry' for initially backing Cummings

The fallout continues in the UK over allegations Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chief aide broke lockdown rules.
Cabinet ministers have backed Dominic Cummings but some Conservative MPs are calling for him to resign.
Now, one Tory backbencher has apologised for initially lending his support.
In a Twitter post, Essex MP Robert Halfon had said of the criticism, "Is this really the kind of country we are?"
But in a Facebook post he has now said: “The tweet was wrong because many thousands of people in Harlow and across the country have suffered and struggled enormously during the coronavirus. It has caused significant pain and hardship. My tweet did not recognise that. I am sorry."
He added that "no one – whoever they are – should be above the regulations or the rule of law" and that if any rule had been breached then "there should be serious consequences".
It follows newspaper reports that Cummings made two trips from his London home to his parents' property - about 260 miles away.

Johnson to hold UK press conference

Boris Johnson last appeared at the daily press conference on 11 May

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will lead today's coronavirus press conference - set to start in around an hour.
The PM is likely to face questions over the future of Dominic Cummings - following allegations the senior adviser broke lockdown rules.

Americans warned over hungry 'aggressive' rats

Americans are being warned to be wary of hungry rats who have become angry due to a lack of their usual restaurant food to feast on during the coronavirus lockdown.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said there had been "reports of unusual or aggressive rodent behaviour" due to a decrease in food available, "especially in dense commercial areas".
It advises people to take precautions, including sealing up access into homes and businesses, keeping bins tightly covered, and removing pet and bird food from yards.

• See here for more on why large numbers of rats are being spotted during quarantine.
  

Death toll in Spain rises by 70

Spain has released it's latest daily figures with another 70 deaths reported over the past 24 hours.
The increase takes the overall coronavirus death toll in Spain to 28,752.
It is a slight increase on yesterday's daily total of 48 but is the eighth day in a row the daily death number has been below 100.
At the peak of the virus the daily death toll in Spain was as high as 950.
It comes as restrictions have been eased across much of the country and will be softened further in Barcelona and Madrid on Monday.

Venice Film Festival to go ahead

The Venice Film festival will go ahead as scheduled in September, the local governor has announced.
The decision comes as the coronavirus outbreak slows in Italy - once the epicentre of the pandemic.
Fewer productions than usual are likely to be in attendance due to lockdown measures on the film industry across the globe.
Italy plans to lift all travel restrictions from 3 June. On Sunday it recorded 119 deaths from Covid-19, a number drastically down from its peak in March.

Sturgeon joins calls for Cummings to leave

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has joined the calls for Dominic Cummings to leave his position as the prime minister's chief advisor.
Several Conservative MPs had already called for Cummings to resign or be sacked amid claims he broke coronavirus lockdown rules.
In April, Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood resigned after making two trips to her second home during lockdown.
"I know it is tough to lose a trusted adviser at the height of crisis, but when it’s a choice of that or integrity of vital public health advice, the latter must come first," Sturgeon tweeted.
"That’s the judgement I and, to her credit, Catherine Calderwood reached. PM and Cummings should do likewise."

Texans queue up for rule-breaking waterpark

Americans are flocking to beaches and parks over the Memorial Day weekend, which marks the unofficial start of the summer season in the US.
In the state of Texas, up to 2,000 people queued up on Saturday to get into the Big Rivers Waterpark, which reopened in defiance of a state order, local media report.
State Governor Greg Abbott has ordered waterparks to remain closed amid the pandemic though pools, bowling alleys and skating rinks are some of the recreational facilities allowed to reopen.
The Houston Chronicle reported that many people crowded together in the queue to get into the park, with little apparent social distancing. The park said it was limiting the number of people allowed into the park to just over 2,000, which is 16% of its capacity.
Texas reported just over 1,000 new cases of the virus on Saturday.

16:46

What can we expect from today's UK briefing?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to lead the UK's briefing shortly.
It comes as his chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, is facing calls to resign over claims he broke lockdown rules to visit family.
Here are some of the latest lines which are likely to be mentioned when we head to Downing Street at 17:00 BST.

• Two newspapers have reported that Cummings drove 260 miles from London to Durham with his wife, who had coronavirus symptoms. He says he acted "reasonably and legally"
  
• The papers have since alleged that Cummings was later also seen at a beauty spot, more than 25 miles from Durham
  
• Another witness says they spotted Cummings near Durham a week later - after the adviser was known to have returned to London
  
• Labour has called for an urgent inquiry into the allegations, while Tory ministers rallied around Cummings
  
• But dissent is growing among the Tory ranks, with some backbench MPs calling for Cummings to quit
  
• Meanwhile, a former head of the school watchdog Ofsted has suggested the summer holidays could be scrapped this year
  
• And the government has announced 6,000 "supported homes"  for vulnerable rough sleepers
  
• It comes after the government withdrew funding for an emergency scheme to help England's rough sleepers during the pandemic
  

Dominic Cummings acted responsibly and legally - PM

The prime minister says Dominic Cummings "followed the instincts of every father" and has in every respect acted "responsibly and legally".

Further 118 deaths across the UK

After confronting the question of his adviser's future, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given the daily death figures, announcing a further 118 deaths across the UK.
It takes the total to 36,793.

Analysis: 'A lot of unanswered questions'

Nick Eardley - Political correspondent
As expected, Boris Johnson has backed his chief aide. He clearly feels his actions can be explained within the rules.
But many Tory MPs are unhappy and there are a lot of unanswered questions. Expect them to be asked when the PM takes questions at the end.

PM: We are in a position to move to phase two

Boris Johnson says he believes the country is in position to move to phase two of the lockdown easing of restrictions, which would see Reception, Year One and Year Six pupils return to school from 1 June.
Mr Johnson said that by having a phased return to schools the government was acting "cautiously".

PM held face-to-face meeting with top aide

The prime minister said he held face-to-face talks with Mr Cummings before concluding he had acted responsibly.
Mr Johnson said: "It is because I take this matter so seriously, and it is so serious, that I can tell you today that I've had extensive face-to-face conversations with Dominic Cummings and I've concluded that in travelling to find the right kind of childcare, at the moment when he and his wife were about to be incapacitated by coronavirus and when he had no alternative, I think he followed the instincts of every father and every parent and I do not mark him down for that."

High unemployment 'to last into US election season'

A senior White House economic adviser predicts many Americans will still be jobless when US voters go to the polls in November.
Kevin Hassett told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that the unemployment rate will probably remain high despite his prediction economic growth will "skyrocket" later this year.
"Unemployment will be something that moves back slower," Hasset told CNN. "You're going to be starting at a number in the 20s and working your way down."
Some 2.4 million Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, despite hopes that easing lockdown restrictions would help restart the US economy.
The new filings brought the total since mid-March to roughly 38.6 million - almost a quarter of the workforce.
The current official unemployment rate in the US is 14.7%.

What was the official 'essential travel' advice...

Reality Check
...when Boris Johnson's top aide Dominic Cummings made his trip to Durham at the end of March?
Cummings says he did the "right thing" to be near relatives. His wife had coronavirus symptoms, and Downing Street says he wanted to ensure he had childcare if he got sick too.
The UK government advice on essential travel at the time, which still remains in place, includes:

• Not visiting second homes, whether for isolation purposes,or holidays
  
• Not leaving your home - the place you live - to stay at another home
  
• Remaining at your primary residence, to avoid putting additional pressure on communities and services at risk
  

Read more about social distancing and self-isolation by clicking here.

What were the rules for exercise?

Reality Check
Two newspapers have reported that Mr Cummings and his family were seen in Barnard Castle, more than 25 miles from his parents’ Durham home, on 12 April.
At the end of March, the government had said people should "stay local" and not travel unnecessarily for exercise.
It followed confusion over whether people could drive somewhere to go walking, running, or cycling. A heated debate had followed with some police forces taking action against people who travelled to beauty spots to exercise.
However, the advice did not explicitly define what counts as "local", and whether or not people could use cars.
People in England are now allowed to drive as far as they like for exercise.

What's happening in Latin America?

White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien has said the US is likely to impose restrictions on travellers arriving from Brazil.
The South American country has recorded the second highest number of confirmed cases in the world - behind the US - with more than 347,000 people infected by the virus.
"We hope that'll be temporary, but because of the situation in Brazil, we're going to take every step necessary to protect the American people," O'Brien said.
Elsewhere in Latin America:

• Argentina has extended a mandatory lockdown in Buenos Aires until 7 June after the capital saw a steady increase of coronavirus cases in recent days.
  
• Venezuela and Iran have warned the United States not to interfere with the delivery of more than a million barrels of fuel. Venezuela is suffering a shortage of refined fuel during the coronavirus crisis.
  

Analysis: A political gamble

Nick Eardley - Political correspondent
The PM is standing by Dominic Cummings but it is something of a political gamble. Boris Johnson is counting on either the public understanding Dominic Cummings was worried about his son and wanted to make sure child care would be available, or, frankly, that the country don’t really care and see it as a Westminster row. It is quite a bold gamble.
There are many Conservative MPs who are deeply unhappy, who think Cummings has undermined the government's own guidance.
There are also still some unanswered questions - when did Boris Johnson know that Dominic Cummings was travelling 260 miles to self-isolate?
There is also that report Mr Cummings was seen 30 miles away from where he was suppose to be isolating - I'm not sure we got an answer to that.
If Boris Johnson went into that press conference hoping to put the issue to bed I suspect he will be disappointed.

Opposition MPs react to PM's briefing

Opposition MPs have been quick to respond to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's backing of his chief aide, Dominic Cummings.
Labour deputy leader, Angela Rayner, described Johnson's comments as "shameful".
Liberal Democrats acting leader Sir Ed Davey says the PM's defence of Cummings has "undermined his authority".

An insult to sacrifices by British people - Labour's Starmer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has responded to Boris Johnson's press conference - his first comments on the allegations around Dominic Cummings.
He says it is "an insult to sacrifices made by the British people" that Johnson has not taken action against Cummings.
Starmer says the Cabinet Secretary must launch an urgent inquiry.

No word from Cummings as he leaves Downing Street

There was no word from Dominic Cummings as he left Downing Street and got into his car, the BBC's political correspondent Nick Eardley said.

Police comment after they were seen knocking at Cummings' door

Earlier this afternoon officers were seen knocking at Dominic Cumming's door.
In a statement the police have said they were called to an address in Islington following reports that "a large crowd of people were outside the address.
"The call was not treated as an emergency."The officers knocked on the door of the property. There was no reply."Media present were reminded of social distancing guidance - a number of members of the public were asked to move on, without issue."No other action was taken by police. The caller was advised that police had attended the location."

Tory MP: PM's judgement 'flawed'

Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale has been talking to BBC Radio 5 Live.
He accused the prime minister of taking up "a quite extraordinary position", adding: "I do think that judgement is flawed."
"The PM has missed an opportunity to bring this chapter to an end.
"You cannot have credibility in my view if you say one thing and then do something completely different.
"The idea that a man of Mr Cummings' alleged capability could not organise childcare for his family in London beggars belief."
Asked if the issue had damaged the PM, he replied "personally, it could be very damaging indeed".
He later told BBC News: "Speaking as a seaside MP who has been telling people not to come here, for me to get that message across is well nigh impossible."

What's happening in Asia?

Away from the Dominic Cummings story for a moment, here's a round-up of current events in Asia.

• China's foreign minister has accused the US of spreading "conspiracies and lies" about the coronavirus, ratcheting up tensions between the two nations.
  
• He said politicians are "jumping at any opportunity to attack and slander China”
  
• Wuhan, the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began, conducted well over 1 million nucleic acid tests on Saturday. It also conducted 1.4 million the day before
  
• Millions across the Muslim world are celebrating Eid al-Fitr amid the pandemic. Indonesia and Thailand held Eid prayers on Sunday
  
• Sri Lanka's government says it will ease lockdown measures from Tuesday. The capital, Colombo, and Gampaha district, have been under a 24-hour curfew since March
  

Tory MP 'unconvinced' by PM's defence of Cummings

Conservative MP David Warburton has tweeted: "As much as I despise any baying pitchfork-led trials by social media, I'm unconvinced by the PM's defence of Cummings.
"We've all been tasked with tempering our parental, and other, instincts by strictly adhering to govt guidance."
During today's press conference the prime minister said he believed Dominic Cummings had "followed the instincts of every father and parent and I do not mark him down for that".

What else is happening in Europe?

• Russia reported 153 more deaths over the previous 24 hours, the epidemic's highest daily toll there. It raises the total fatalities to 3,541
  
• German authorities are trying to trace everyone who attended a church service in Frankfurt this month after more than 107 people tested positive for the coronavirus
  
• The French government does not want its citizens to travel abroad this summer and recommends they take their holidays in France, says Environment Minister Elisabeth Borne
  
• People living in Spain's biggest cities, Madrid and Barcelona, are eagerly anticipating the opening of parks, museums, churches and outdoor seating at bars this week
  

Teaching unions react to prime minister's schools announcement

Among all the reaction to the prime minister standing by Dominic Cummings you would be forgiven for forgetting that Boris Johnson also announced that schools in England are on course to reopen on 1 June.
Here are the main points:

• Primary schools will reopen to pupils from reception, year one and year six pupils from 1 June
  
• On 15 June secondary schools will be open to pupils in year 10 and year 12, with around a quarter of students in school at one time
  
• The prime minister recognised some schools would not be ready to reopen on 1 June and said that the government would follow a phased and cautious approach
  

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the move but said the government had "not done a good job in building confidence in its plans" - leaving primary schools with little time to implement safety protocols.
The National Education Union has said it is not convinced it is safe for children to return to school. Joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said it would not be right for primary schools to reopen on 1 June and called for the government to engage in "meaningful conversation" with the union.
Paul Whiteman, of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "We will take the prime minister at his word that schools will be allowed to react to their own local situations and will not be forced into opening or penalised if proceeding with appropriate caution."

UK PM put 'authority on the line' - Tory commentator

Conservative commentator Tim Montgomerie says Boris Johnson "put his prime ministerial authority on the line" by backing his aide Dominic Cummings.
Montgomerie, who runs the Conservative Home blog, told the BBC that Johnson's backing for Cummings "would burn a whole in the heart of public confidence in this government".
He added that issue showed "complete hypocrisy of setting rules that you do not then follow".
Shortly after today's briefing Montgomerie also tweeted that he was "really embarrassed to have ever backed Boris Johnson for high office".

Did Cummings visit Barnard Castle?

One of the unanswered questions following Boris Johnson's press conference remains whether, in April, Dominic Cummings made a trip to Barnard Castle, 30 miles away from where he was supposed to be self-isolating in Durham.
That was part of the second allegations made by the the Sunday Mirror and Observer newspapers today.
Johnson was asked directly by the BBC's Iain Watson whether that allegation was true, and he did not seem to give a clear answer.
He said: "What I can tell you is when you look at guidance and the particular childcare needs faced at the time it was reasonable to self-isolate for 14 days or more where he did. That was sensible and defensible and I understand it.
"As for all of the other allegations, I have looked at them carefully and I am content that at all times throughout his period of isolation he behaved reasonably and correctly and with a view to defeating the virus."

Swim party leads to new Arkansas virus cases

Arkansas Gov Asa Hutchinson says a recent high school swim party in the state led to several new coronavirus cases.
The governor said he had received a text from a friend in northeast Arkansas who had information from hospitals and testing that there were positive cases resulting from the event.
"A high school swim party that I'm sure everybody thought was harmless," he said during a media briefing on Saturday."It's just an encouragement for us to be disciplined in our activities."
The governor warned the state was going through a second peak of the virus after a 30-day dip in cases, though he said officials were "getting ahead of the spread."
There were just over 5,000 cases of the virus in the state as of Saturday, with 163 new cases and two deaths in 24 hours.

Chile health system 'very close to the limit'

Chile's healthcare system is "very close to the limit," the country's President, Sebastian Pinera, said on Sunday, as the number of confirmed cases in the country rapidly increased.
The Ministry of Health has reported 3,709 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 69,102 while the death toll stands at 718.
"We are very close to the limit because we have had a very large increase in the needs and demands for medical care, and for intensive care unit beds and ventilators," Pinera said.
More than 1,000 people have been hospitalised with diseases associated with the coronavirus, according to the government.

Scientific advisers criticise PM's defence of Cummings

Members of one of the government's scientific advisory panels have hit out at the prime minister over his defence of aide Dominic Cummings.
Prof Stephen Reicher, Prof Susan Michie and Prof Robert West - who sit on the Sage behavioural science sub-committee SPI-B - have taken to social media following the Downing Street press conference.
Reicher said the prime minister had "trashed all the advice we have given on how to build trust and secure adherence to [lockdown] measures", while his colleagues both tweeted their agreement.
Michie said she feared that the public view of science would be diminished by "association with this government".
Boris Johnson told the press briefing that Cummings had acted "responsibly and legally and with integrity" when he travelled to Durham to isolate with his family.

Thanks for joining us

We're pausing the live page - thank you for joining us today. Here's a round-up of today's main developments:

• Boris Johnson has backed his key adviser Dominic Cummings, amid a row over the aide’s travel during lockdown
  
• In a tense press conference Johnson said Dominic Cummings acted "responsibly and legally" in travelling to Durham during lockdown but several Conservative MPs have called for the adviser to be removed from his post
  
• Since the press conference, Labour leader Keir Starmer said it was "an insult to the sacrifices made by the British people" that Johnson had not taken action against Cummings and further Tory MPs have criticised the PM's stance
  
• Away from the Cummings row, Johnson said parents and teachers should prepare for the phased reopening of schools in England to start on 1 June as planned
  
• Elsewhere, China's foreign minister says politicians in the US are "jumping at every opportunity to slander" his country
  
• Russia reported 153 more deaths over the previous 24 hours, the highest daily death toll there
  

A number of us worked on this page to bring you the latest today including: Flora Drury, Robert Greenall, Deirdre Finnerty, David Walker, George Wright, Steve Sutcliffe, Jonathan Jurejko, Matthew Henry, Alex Therrien, Ella Wills, Doug Faulkner, Matt Cannon, Kate Whannel and George Bowden.