Your morning briefing: What you should know for Monday, March 30

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Jason Collie30 March 2020

Trump to extend US voluntary shutdown for a month

Donald Trump says he is extending the voluntary national shutdown for a month as illness and deaths from the pandemic rise across the US.

The initial 15-day period of social distancing urged by the federal government expires today and Mr Trump had previously expressed an interest in relaxing the national guidelines at least in parts of the country less affected by the pandemic.

But instead he has decided to extend the measures to April 30.

It comes as the death toll in New York state passed 1,000.

Johnson's rallying call for 'togetherness' after six-month restriction warning

Boris Johnson says the UK will get through the coronavirus crisis together after Britons were warned restrictions on their lives may last for at least six months.

The Prime Minister issued the words of encouragement as he praised the 750,000 volunteers who have offered to assist the NHS during a video message last night.

Deputy chief medical officer for England Dr Jenny Harries said Britain will not be in "complete lockdown" for half a year but said social distancing measures will be lifted gradually to avoid a second wave of deaths.

Mr Johnson also praised the 20,000 former NHS staff who have returned to the service.

Airline crew to help at new emergency hospitals

Cabin crew will join doctors and nurses in staffing the new Nightingale hospitals built to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the NHS has said.

Staff at Virgin Atlantic and EasyJet are being invited by the airlines to volunteer at the new 4,000-bed clinic being built at the Excel centre in east London, and those planned in Birmingham and Manchester.

Their salaries will continue to be paid by the airlines.

Virus continues to hit Asian markets

Asian shares have started the week with fresh losses.

Japan's benchmark dropped almost 4 per cent and other regional markets were mostly lower. Shares in Australia rose after the government promised more recession-fighting stimulus.

US futures fell slightly more than 1 per cent and oil prices were also lower.

Today's drop followed a decline of more than 3 per cent on Wall Street on Friday despite hopes that a $2 trillion (£1.6 trillion) relief bill would ease the economic havoc brought by the pandemic.

Harry and Meghan US security 'privately funded'

Donald Trump last night announced the US would not be picking up any bills for the royal couple after they moved from their temporary home in Canada.

Hollywood horror show on Bake Off says Kelly Brook

Kelly Brook says Paul Hollywood was terrifying on the Great Celebrity Bake Off.

Brook is competing against Carol Vorderman, Rob Rinder and comedian Mo Gilligan in this year's Channel 4 show, in support of Stand Up To Cancer.

She told Hello! Magazine baking is a relaxing hobby but she didn’t feel so relaxed when her showstopper failed to turn out as planned and she saw Hollywood’s expression.

On this day…

1814: Britain and its allies entered Paris in triumph against Napoleon Bonaparte.

1842: Ether was used as an anaesthetic for the first time, by American surgeon Dr Crawford Long.

1853: Artist Vincent van Gogh, who painted Sunflowers, was born in the Dutch village of Groot-Zundert.

1867: Alaska was bought by America from Russia for 7.2 million dollars - less than two cents an acre.

1964: The seaside resort of Clacton was the scene of pitched battles by gangs of mods and rockers.

1972: The Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act came into force decreeing direct rule from London and prompting the resignation of then prime minister of Northern Ireland Brian Faulkner.

1979: The people of Iran voted overwhelmingly in favour of establishing an Islamic Republic in a two-day referendum.

1981: US president Ronald Reagan was wounded in an assassination bid outside Washington's Hilton Hotel.

1987: Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh was sold at auction by Christie's for £24.75 million.

2002: The Queen Mother died peacefully in her sleep at Buckingham Palace at the age of 101.

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