US terminating relationship with WHO - Trump

The Dutch government has drawn up an emergency law that would allow the country's health authority (RIVM) to use anonymised mobile phone data.

Ministers say the information, from mobile phone masts, would be used to monitor the movement of people as coronavirus restrictions are eased and help health officials decide whether measures needed to be tightened up.

If approved by parliament, the new law would be in force for up to one year.

"The data is not suitable for identifying individuals," a government statement said. "It is a count, per hour, per municipality of the total number of mobile phones present there, and from which municipality."

Last month, Norway's largest mobile operator, Telenor, said it was collaborating with health officials to help them track the spread of the coronavirus.

An online book of remembrance to commemorate those who have died from coronavirus in the UK has had more than 3,000 names entered since it launched a week ago.

The memorial book, called Remember Me, has been organised by St. Paul’s Cathedral in London with the support of the Prince of Wales.

The Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Reverend David Ison, said they had been “overwhelmed by the response” to the online book.

“It has been incredibly moving to see the messages from family, friends and carers," he said.

"It reminds us that every person who has died as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic is not merely a statistic in a health crisis - but a person, valued, missed and worthy of remembrance.”

Family members, friends and carers of anyone who has died can submit the name, photograph and a short message.

It’s open to people of all faiths, or none, and the deceased person must be British or have been living in the UK.

BBC Scotland has been telling the stories of some of those who lost their lives.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

New York City - the epicentre of the US outbreak - is "on track" to enter the first phase of reopening on 8 June, according to state Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The announcement comes as five northern regions of the state have entered phase two, meaning they can open businesses such as hair salons and barber shops where customers and employees come into close contact.

New York City is the only one of the ten regions in the state not yet to have entered phase one of reopening.

Cuomo said that as many as 400,000 people will go back to work in New York City when non-essential construction and manufacturing resumes.

"I understand why people would be anxious about taking public transit," Cuomo said, pledging that buses and trains are being cleaned frequently. "The public transit system will be safe."

Relaxing lockdown is a risk because levels of the coronavirus are still at "very high" levels, Prof John Edmunds, one of the government's top science advisers says.

Read more here

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Singapore and China are to reopen essential travel links for business and official purposes early next month, they said in a joint statement.

The "Fast Lane" arrangement will be applied first between Singapore and six Chinese provinces - Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

The statement said that "effective Covid-19 prevent-and-control measures" would be in place.

"The arrangement will be gradually expanded to the other Chinese provinces and municipalities. Both sides agreed to explore the increase of air links between the two countries for the Fast Lane," it added.

As we reported earlier, Singapore National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said the city-state was considering setting up "travel bubbles" with countries where Covid-19 is under control. He said they were in talks with several countries, though "some [are] at more advanced stages, some we're just starting".

A doctor from New Brunswick, Canada has been suspended after he exposed as many as 150 to coronavirus after flouting quarantine rules.

The doctor, who has not been named, had caught the virus in Quebec, which is one of the hardest-hit provinces in Canada.

He then went right back to work in New Brunswick, instead of self-isolating for 14 days.

At least eight people he has come in contact with have been infected, including his own child and a long-term care worker, officials say. Two of the infected are in intensive care, and he could have exposed as many as 150 to the virus.

Chief Medical Officer Jennifer Russell told CBC News this one case could trigger an "exponential rise" of cases in the province.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The Louvre museum in Paris will reopen on 6 July as France's historical and cultural sites emerge from the coronavirus lockdown.

"Even if it was possible to discover the Louvre's treasures virtually during lockdown, nothing can replace the emotion of standing in front of a work of art; that is the raison d'etre of museums," said Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez.

With 9.6 million people going through the doors in 2019, the Louvre is the most visited museum in the world.

The reopening of France's historical and cultural attractions will begin with the Chateau de Chambord in the Loire Valley on 5 June and the Palace of Versailles on 6 June.

In Paris, the Quai Branly Museum and Musee d'Orsay will also reopen in June. Exhibitions will begin again at the Grand Palais, Centre Pompidou and Picasso museum in July.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

How do you stop people from crowding in public parks this summer?

An infamously crowded park in downtown Toronto plans to encircle people with safety - literally.

City staff have painted large rings on the grass at Trinity Bellwoods Park to show how far apart people should be. They recommend that only three people sit in one circle cross-legged, or two people lying down, to maintain social distancing.

The move came after last weekend, when as many as 10,000 people crammed into the park to enjoy one of the first truly glorious days of summer, coronavirus be damned.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford sharply criticised the parkgoers, and urged them all to get tested. Park circles have also been adopted in New York and San Francisco.

The UK government has missed an opportunity to provide additional help to freelancers, a trade body for the creative sector has said.

The Creative Industries Federation welcomed the announcement earlier that grants for the self-employed will continue until August.

But its chief executive Caroline Norbury said some freelancers - such as those paid via PAYE, contractors of limited companies and the newly self-employed - "continue to fall through the gaps".

She added that there remains a "worrying inequality" between employed and self-employed workers.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The sporting world, like many others, is slowly re-emerging from the pandemic.

Here are the latest headlines:

• Football: The game in which Liverpool could secure the English Premier League title could be held at a neutral venue
• Football: Spain's La Liga will resume on 11 June
• Cricket: Coronavirus replacements could be allowed in England's summer Test series against the West Indies and Pakistan
• Tennis: Former world number one Andy Murray will play in a tournament organised by brother Jamie that will raise money for NHS Charities Together
• Formula 1: Renault says it will stay in the sport beyond the end of this season, despite the French car manufacturer cutting 15,000 jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

More now on the saga involving the UK prime minister's top aide.

Dominic Cummings' decision in March to drive from his London home to his parents' farm near Durham with his wife - who had coronavirus symptoms - and his son, has dominated headlines in Britain this week.

On Thursday, it was announced that an internal police review of Cummings' trip concluded that Cummings might have broken the rules.

Some newspapers have reported that the force's chief constable could face another investigation into her handling of the recent probe.

But Durham Police say there is "currently no investigation into the force’s handling of this inquiry".

Boris Johnson's top adviser has faced calls to resign after accusations that he breached lockdown rules.

This timeline shows the significant developments in the affair so far.

BBCCopyright: BBC

US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed the global response to coronavirus during a phone call a little earlier.

Downing Street said the two men spoke about the "ongoing international co-operation to develop a vaccine".

Trials have begun on vaccines across the world, including in the US and UK.

A Number 10 spokesman said they also discussed the next G7 summit scheduled to be held in Washington next month and stressed the "importance of leaders meeting in the US in person if possible" .

Earlier this week, a White House spokeswoman said the US planned to hold the summit as planned “towards the end of June”.

The White House added that the two men also discussed "progress on reopening" their respective countries amid continued lockdowns.

Trump's criticism of the WHO started last month when he threatened to permanently withdraw US funding if the body did not "commit to major substantive improvements in the next 30 days".

"It is clear the repeated missteps by you and your organization in responding to the pandemic have been extremely costly for the world," Trump wrote in a letter to the WHO director-general on 18 May.

"The only way forward for the World Health Organization is if it can actually demonstrate independence from China."

In today's White House speech, Trump said "China has total control over the World Health Organization", despite paying the organisation a fraction of what the US does.

China has accused the US of being responsible for the spread of the virus on its own soil, attributing the outbreak to American "politicians who lie".

Family handoutCopyright: Family handout

The death of a British railway worker was not linked to an attack in which she was spat at by a man claiming to have coronavirus, police have said.

Belly Mujinga, 47, who died with Covid-19 last month, was working at Victoria station in London when she was assaulted.

British Transport Police (BTP) concluded the attack did not lead to her death, following "extensive inquiries".

On Thursday, the force also said no further action would be taken against a 57-year-old man who was interviewed by officers.

Read more here.

Trump's Rose Garden event was nearly an hour late, and he took no questions after attacking China on several issues.

These included the origin of the coronavirus, recent developments in Hong Kong, border disputes in the South China Sea and human rights abuses.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

German politicians have asked the country's foreign ministry to explain why the king of Thailand has spent several weeks in a luxury Bavarian hotel during the coronavirus lockdown.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn has been staying in the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl in Garmisch Partenkirchen, a town close to the German-Austrian border.

Margarete Bause, a Green party member of parliament, said a ban on tourism should have prevented the king from staying there.

The hotel - which boasts of panoramic views of the Alps - is "currently unavailable" for bookings, according to its website.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn is a frequent visitor to Germany. He has made no comment.

EPACopyright: EPA

AFPCopyright: AFP

A group representing UK pubs has issued a warning over government plans to gradually reduce support for its job retention scheme.

Pubs have been closed since March, and under current plans will not reopen until July at the earliest, when furloughed workers will be able to start working part-time under plans unveiled earlier.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said all pubs would have to be open by July for the changes outlined by the chancellor to work.

Keeping pubs closed while government subsidies are reduced would leave them with "no income to cover the additional staff costs," she added, "risking job losses and pubs staying closed for good".