Brexit

The Telegraph has criticised the EU’s chief negotiator.

Britain is pushing for intensive face-to-face talks with EU negotiators, as UK sources claimed Michel Barnier was attempting to act like a “referee” rather than a “player on the pitch”.
British negotiators are understood to have proposed in-person talks after the last round of virtual negotiators ended on Friday with no significant progress on the major obstacles of fishing rights and the level playing field guarantees.
Speaking after Mr Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, accused Britain of “backtracking” from the political declaration agreed last year, a UK source close to the negotiations said: “The EU are unfairly characterising the political declaration. Establishing a framework is not the same as meaning everything must go in a legally binding treaty. Michel Barnier seems to think he is the referee when actually he is a player on the pitch.”

The Times describes the tensions as ‘growing’.

Britain has accused Michel Barnier, the EU’s Brexit negotiator, of “behaving like the referee rather than a player” during Brexit talks ahead of a meeting this week that will end any prospect of an extension to trade talks.
In a sign of growing tensions, one British source complained that Barnier “seems to think he is the senior partner” and has tried to dictate terms in the talks rather than just present his own case on behalf of the other 27 countries.
A senior negotiator added: “Michael Barnier seems to think he is the referee when he is a player on the pitch.”

The Express warns that the Prime Minister’s job could be on the line if he fails Brexit.

BORIS JOHNSON has been warned he faces a voter revolt that could see him forced out as Prime Minister if he bows to pressure from the European Union over demands in the post-Brexit trade deal with Brussels.
The Conservative Party leader secured an amended withdrawal agreement with the European Union last year, before being faced with the uphill task of getting it voted through Parliament by MPs still strongly opposed to the UK’s departure from the bloc. But Boris Johnson was able to successfully achieve this after crushing his rivals in December’s general election, with the Tories securing a huge 80-seat majority in the House of Commons, and was then able to deliver on his manifesto promise to “get Brexit done” on January 31.

Race riots

After being confined to their homes for several weeks, protesters have massed on the streets.  The Sun describes the vandalism.

THE Winston Churchill statue was vandalised during the Black Lives Matter protest in London’s Parliament Square.
Pictures show police officers standing in front of the memorial with neon green graffiti defacing it on the 76th anniversary of D-Day, on Saturday.
It appears the world-famous memorial was defaced with letters ACAB – which is believed to stand for ‘All Cops Are B******s’.

Breitbart describes how the Cenotaph was attacked.

Photographs show activists at the illegal Black Lives Matter protests in London have defaced the Cenotaph, which honours the fallen, on the 76th anniversary of D-Day.
Sited on Whitehall near the Prime Minister’s official Downing Street residence, the Cenotaph — “empty tomb” — is Britain’s national war memorial, constructed and dedicated to the memory of “the glorious dead” in the First World War.

There were also riots in the US, says Sky News.

Massive demonstrations against racism and police brutality filled the streets of America’s most famous cities on Saturday on what was thought to be the largest one day of protests since George Floyd’s death 12 days ago.
Tens of thousands of people marched peacefully from coast to coast in the wake of the death of Mr Floyd, a black man who died after a police officer pinned his neck down last week in Minneapolis.
Meanwhile, in North Carolina mourners waited for hours to glimpse the golden coffin carrying the body of Mr Floyd.

A mounted policewoman was hurt when the protesters spooked her horse says the Mail.

A policewoman was hospitalised after her horse bolted and another 10 officers were injured after clashes erupted at the Black Lives Matter protests in London last night.
Flares were hurled and a Boris bike was thrown at a police horse as tens of thousands of protesters packed into Parliament Square, despite Priti Patel urging them to stay away to avoid the Covid danger of large crowds.
Despite the majority of the protests remaining peaceful throughout the day, violence erupted on Whitehall at 7pm after tens of thousands of protesters had gathered in the capital to oppose racism and demand justice for George Floyd.

The Sun has pictures of the incident.

THIS is the horrific moment a female cop crashes face-first into a set of traffic lights and is then thrown from her horse during a Black Lives Matter protest yesterday.
Dramatic footage shows the cop, who was hospitalised, crashing to the ground after her animal had bolted amid the violent unrest in Whitehall, London.
Disturbing pictures from the scene, show the policewoman knocked unconscious as missiles are thrown by the angry mob.

Breitbart describes the Paris riots.

Police in Paris have arrested three men accused of impersonating officers in a video that attempted to portray real police as racists in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests.
The arrests were made on Sunday, but details about the incident remained unclear. Early reports suggest that the three men dressed as officers and a director and cameraman filmed a video in which the fake police arrest a black African man in front of a supermarket for theft while the real thief, a white man, is purposely let go.
According to investigators, the uniforms used were real and were connected to a Paris police officer who is thought to have loaned them to the actors.

Lockdown lift

The PM now has to consider how to get the economy going again, says Sky News.

Boris Johnson will make a key speech on rebuilding Britain’s economy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, amid growing concern that he does not have an effective strategy for preventing a second peak of the virus.
Fear is growing among ministers that millions of jobs may be lost if pubs and restaurants are not allowed to reopen this summer and Mr Johnson is understood to have tasked his team with developing plans to get business moving as soon as possible to prevent a major economic slowdown.

The Times says it must be done quickly.

Boris Johnson has ordered ministers to lift the lockdown quickly to avoid the possible loss of three million jobs.
In a significant shift in the government’s approach to Covid-19, the prime minister signed off new measures to open up the economy at a meeting with Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, on Friday night.
Johnson stepped in after a crunch meeting on Tuesday where he was warned by Alok Sharma, the business secretary, that failure to reopen the hospitality sector in time for the summer could cost up to 3.5 million jobs. Johnson replied: “Christ!”

Rules surrounding outdoor dining and weddings could be next for relaxing, says Reuters.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning to relax rules on outdoor dining and weddings, as well as speeding up government investment plans in a bid to limit the economic damage from the coronavirus, newspapers reported on Saturday.
The Sunday Times said Johnson wanted to relax planning restrictions that stop many pubs, cafes and restaurants from using outside areas, and also to make it legal to hold weddings outside – something currently limited to Jews and Quakers.

NHS

Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports on how the PM is planning to rebuild the country.

Boris Johnson has ordered ministers to speed up the construction of new hospitals, as he prepares to set out a blueprint for how he will “rebuild Britain” in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.
In a major speech expected within weeks, the Prime Minister will set out plans to accelerate the Conservatives’ major infrastructure plans, including his manifesto pledges to build 40 new hospitals, and fund major upgrades to the country’s roads.

Masks

The announcement of compulsory face coverings was not discussed with NHS trusts, reports iNews.

NHS trusts were not consulted over the Government’s decision to make face masks mandatory in hospitals, healthcare chiefs have said.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced on Friday that all hospital visitors and outpatients in England will be required to wear face coverings from 15 June, and hospital staff must wear surgical masks “at all times” from this date.
But NHS Providers, the membership organisation for NHS trusts in England, has accused the Government of making the decision “on the hoof” without consultation.

The government is being urged to reconsider its plans says the Guardian.

Ministers in the UK are under pressure to rethink rules on face masks after the World Health Organization advised that simple coverings offer no protection to the public and that over-60s should wear medical-grade masks.
The new stance from the WHO, which now supports masks for the public for the first time, came a day after face coverings were declared mandatory on public transport in England from 15 June.
Government ministers have said these can be made from simple scarves, T-shirts or other single-layer coverings. But the WHO guidance recommends more complex masks made of three layers of fabric for the general public taking public transport or going into shops or places of worship where they cannot keep their distance.

‘R’ rate

The number of infections could be going up in some parts of the country, says the Mirror.

The reproductive rate of coronavirus could be above one in some parts of England, experts from Public Health England have warned.
The crucial figure remains between 0.7 and 0.9 on average in the UK – suggesting the average patient is infecting slightly less than one other person.
But new estimates today suggest it is between 0.7 and 1.0 in England, 1 in the South West and 1.01 in the North West.

There are two hotspots, says Sky News.

The R number – a key measure of how much coronavirus is spreading – is around the crucial figure of one in the North West and South West of England, according to new estimates.
Public Health England (PHE) on Friday gave a regional breakdown of the COVID-19 transmission rate, or R number.
Their estimates, calculated in conjunction with Cambridge University’s MRC Biostatistics Unit, showed it was “probable” the R value was below one in all regions of England, with the exception of the North West and South West.

Yahoo News says the virus could spike again.

Fears of a second coronavirus spike grew after new figures showed the virus could be growing exponentially in the northwest of England.
The reproduction rate is thought to be 1.01 in the northwest and 1 in the southwest according to data compiled by Public Health England (PHE) and Cambridge University.
The blow comes as the World Health Organisation updated its guidelines to recommend everyone wear a mask while in public – and over-60s wear medical grade masks.

Treatment

But there could be a vaccine soon, reports the Telegraph.

The British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant leading the global race to manufacture the first Covid-19 vaccine is also nearing a breakthrough on life-saving antibody treatments for the elderly and vulnerable.
A cloned antibody injection – which instantly arms the body to neutralise the virus – is likely to be a game-changer for those in the first stages of coronavirus.
Scientists in AstraZeneca bases in the UK and America are up to “full speed” on testing, with executives increasingly hopeful an effective treatment can go into production next year.

And ITV News also reports a potential breakthrough.

Scientists working on a potential coronavirus vaccine have almost reached a breakthrough on an antibody treatment which could saves the lives of the elderly and vulnerable, it has been reported.
An injection of cloned antibodies which allows the body to counteract Covid-19 could prove hugely significant for those in the early stages of infection, according to British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

The vaccine could be inhaled, says the Sun.

THE coronavirus vaccine could be ready to give in the form of an inhaler by next month, it was reported.
Trials of a vaccine being developed by Oxford University are currently ongoing with the initial target of September to be available to the public.3
Drug company Astra Zeneca has said it will produce the vaccine light so it’s ready when final approval is given and intends to produce two billion doses thanks to funding from Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.

Education

What’s worse – the virus or a lack of education?  The Telegraph reports:

Keeping children out of school poses a far greater risk to them that coronavirus, a Government adviser has said.
The impact of Covid-19 on children’s health is “miniscule”, but spending a prolonged period out of school is devastating their development, Dr Gavin Morgan said.
His intervention comes amid rising concern that millions of children now face spending six months out of school, with the majority of pupils not expected to return to the classroom until September at the earliest.

And exams could be delayed, says ITV News.

Further disruption lies ahead for high school pupils with the Government reportedly warning parents that exams may again be delayed next summer.
Exam regulator Ofqual has begun making contingency plans for next summer’s exams as pupils attempt to regain months of lost learning, according to The Sunday Times.

Rats

The Telegraph reports on a further potential plague.

At the beginning of The Plague, the 1947-dystopian novel by Albert Camus, the first sign that an epidemic has gripped the fictional town of Oran is the rats, which appear without warning in their midst.
During the coronavirus lockdown, a similar phenomenon is being witnessed across Britain, with one crucial exception. For while the rats of Oran emerged from the sewers to die on the streets in their thousands, during the Covid pandemic they appear to be thriving.

Madeleine

In an exclusive report, the Mail claims the suspect in the youngster’s abduction was seen.

A witness claimed to have spotted Madeleine McCann getting into a German-owned VW van with a man just weeks after her disappearance, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
A police file unearthed by this paper details how the witness saw Madeleine emerging from a restaurant in the Spanish seaside town of Alcossebre before climbing into the van with an unidentified man.
The sighting, one of dozens in the early weeks of the investigation, has taken on new significance since German paedophile Christian Brueckner was identified last week as a key suspect in the case.

The Sun says local police were told of a possible sighting.

BRITISH cops alerted Portuguese detectives to a possible sighting of Madeleine McCann in a German-registered VW van three weeks after she disappeared.
Officers sent a memo marked “urgent” explaining how a witness believed they had spotted her at a named restaurant near Valencia, Spain.
The witness said she left with a man in a VW with German plates and asked for details of the owner.

China

China may be given the cold shoulder, says the Express.

BRITAIN is seeking to form a deeper relationship with Five Eyes intelligence partners to end reliance on Chinese technology.
Boris Johnson unveiled the change in foreign policy at the national security council but it has been reported the Cabinet is split on the issue. US officials visiting the UK in January suggested a Western-backed conglomerate as an alternative to Britain using Huawei in its 5G network but this was ruled out due to time constraints. However, a senior Whitehall source told the Mail on Sunday: ‘We have lost expertise in dozens of major markets like technology and science, hence why we got into the Huawei mess.

And the Times says we could be on a ‘collision course’.

Britain is on a collision course with China after Boris Johnson approved plans last week to build up alternatives to Huawei in the 5G network, a move that caused a heated cabinet split in the government’s most secret committee.
China’s ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, has privately fired a warning shot at the government, telling business leaders that abandoning Huawei could undermine plans for Chinese companies to build nuclear power plants and the HS2 high-speed rail network. Government officials dismissed the comments as “sabre-rattling”.

The country covered up the virus says the Mail.

Fresh evidence of China’s shocking cover-up of the pandemic outbreak has been found in censored media reports from Wuhan.
Samples taken from sick patients and analysed by at least five laboratories had confirmed the existence of a lethal new coronavirus before China told global health authorities about an infectious disease that it claimed was unidentified.
The reports obtained by The Mail on Sunday reveal that one team even found the virus was ‘clearly contagious’ while others had unravelled its genetic composition – vital for developing diagnostic tests and vaccines.

And the country has taken action against its own ambassador, reports the Mail.

The Chinese ambassador to London has been ‘censored’ by his own embassy after claiming his country had produced a vaccine which was ready for use.
Liu Xiaoming stunned a meeting of British business figures by saying China was ‘advanced in terms of research on a vaccine’.
He added: ‘We are at the fourth phase of the process. We want to make this available to the world.’

The Chinese company Huawei is determined to push ahead, says the Times.

Huawei’s founder urged workers to crush rivals and “blaze a trail of blood” in the Chinese telecoms giant’s battle for supremacy.
Ren Zhengfei ordered staff at Huawei’s research and development centre in Hangzhou, eastern China, to learn from Google’s unrelenting march. “Surge forward, killing as you go, to blaze us a trail of blood,” he said a month after the arrest of his daughter in Canada in 2018, according to a transcript seen by The Wall Street Journal.

There could be problems in cabinet, says the Mail.

Tory MPs have expressed concern about ‘growing cracks’ between Boris Johnson and his Chancellor Rishi Sunak, as Cabinet splits widen over post-Brexit economic policy and the UK’s tense relationship with China.
Differences between the two most powerful members of the Government came to a head last week in meetings about the security threat posed by Beijing and the scope of a new trade deal with Washington.