Your morning briefing: What you should know for Wednesday, July 1

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  • July 1, 2020
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The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday – Friday plus breaking news updates

Airlines ramp up flight schedules ahead of ‘air bridges’ announcement

Airlines are ramping up their flight schedules from today ahead of an expected announcement on so-called ‘air bridges’ to allow people flying from certain countries to avoid quarantine.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed yesterday that air bridges will soon be created to allow people arriving in the UK from certain countries to avoid the 14-day quarantine policy.

A list of exempt destinations will be published later this week.

Mr Shapps also revealed that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is reviewing its position of advising against all non-essential overseas travel.

Hong Kongers could face life in prison for breaking China security law

Hong Kong residents could face life in prison for breaking a controversial new security law brought in by the Chinese government.

The new law came into force overnight, amid growing unrest in Hong Kong. Critics have condemned the law, saying it curtails freedoms for Hong Kongers.

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, who is backed by the Chinese government, defended the legislation as filling “a gaping hole” in national security.

PM faces grilling amid confusion over Leicester lockdown extension

Boris Johnson is to face a fresh grilling over the Government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic amid confusion over the reimposition of lockdown controls in Leicester.

One hundreds days after restrictions came into force across the country, ministers are facing questions over whether they were too slow to act following a flare up in the east Midlands city.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who faces Mr Johnson in the Commons at Prime Minister’s Questions later, said people in Leicester were “crying out” for answers.

Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby criticised the Government and Public Health England (PHE) for delays in sharing case and testing data which showed how the disease was spreading.

US secures almost entire world supply of coronavirus drug

The US has effectively secured the entire global supply of one of only two drugs proven to treat coronavirus.

Remdesivir, which was used to treat Ebola, is produced almost exclusively by US pharmaceutical giant Gilead. It costs around £430 for a treatment course of six doses.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) has announced it has bought up more than 500,000 doses of the drug.

The HSS suggested that the move means the country has secured the entire global supply of the drug for July, and 90 per cent of stocks available for August and September.

Double amputee, 5, raises £1m for hospital by walking 10km

A five-year-old double amputee has raised more than £1m for an NHS hospital by walking 10km with two prosthetic legs.

Tony Hudgell had to have both his legs amputated in 2017 as a result of abuse suffered at the hands of his birth parents.

He set out to raise £500 for the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, who saved his life, by walking 10km in 30 days.

But his incredible efforts captured the hearts of tens of thousands of people, with a staggering £1,073,121 raised for the hospital in just a month.

On this day…

1837: Compulsory registration of births, marriages and deaths came into effect in England and Wales.

1858: Charles Darwin presented his theory on evolution and natural selection to the Linnean Society in London.

1868: The Dominion of Canada was established by the British North American Act. It comprised four million people and four provinces – Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

1912: The British Copyright Act came into force, protecting an author’s works for 50 years after their death.

1916: First day of the battle of the Somme in the First World War. In less than 24 hours there were 60,000 British casualties.

1929: The cartoon character Popeye the Sailor was created by Elzie Segar in the USA.

1937: The 999 emergency service came into operation in Britain.

1969: Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales by the Queen at Caernarvon Castle.

1997: Hong Kong was handed back to the Chinese authorities – ending more than 150 years of British control.

2007: A ban on smoking in public places came into effect across England, spelling an end to drinkers having a cigarette in pubs, bars and clubs.