Government updates

• Unions demand assurances on teachers and pupil safety over plans to reopen school on June 1st.
• Government agrees a £1.6bn bailout for Transport for London.
• Robert Jenrick forced to defend plans to reopen housing market, amid criticism measures in the sector have been eased too quickly.
• The first minister of Wales is set to publish plans for next phase of easing lockdown across the country today.
• UK urges EU to uphold the rights of British expats amid travel bans.
• Doctors told ‘not to discuss PPE shortages’, a BBC report finds.
• Coronavirus antibody test hailed as a ‘positive development’ by government.

Business updates

• Total cost of lockdown to global economy could be as high as $8.8bn.
• Coronavirus pushes German economy into recession.
• Amazon is the latest organisation to begin manufacturing face masks, with boss Jeff Bezos set to become the world’s first trillionaire.
• Pre-booked tickets and compulsory face masks are among the measures rail companies could introduce to ensure social distancing is upheld on trains.
• Travel firm Tui urges reopening tourism in ‘safe’ countries, as company prepares to shed 8,000 jobs.
• Vauxhall’s manufacturing plant in Luton is to restart production.

Other news

• Amsterdam trials a ‘Covid-safe’ restaurant, in a bid to get the hospitality trade moving across the city.
• Reading & Leeds festival becomes the latest major event to announce its cancellation in 2020.
• The US risks its ‘darkest winter in modern history’, as more than 30m Americans file for unemployment.
• Plans for passenger quarantine at UK airports make no sense, industry adviser warns.
• The World Health Organisation warns that Africa could see up to 250m Coronavirus cases.
• Slovenia becomes the first country in Europe to end strict quarantine measures, as cases throughout the country plummet.