Your morning briefing: What you should know for Thursday, April 16

UK lockdown set to be extended amid signs epidemic starting to peak

The Government is today set to extend the coronavirus lockdown until at least May 7 amid fresh warnings it is too soon to start easing the restrictions.

Ministers are expected to agree a further three weeks of social distancing controls.

Officials have repeatedly made clear that there is no prospect of any imminent relaxation of the stay-at-home orders.

Tens of thousands of pounds raised for family of pregnant nurse who died with coronavirus

Almost £60,000 has been raised for the family and newborn baby of a pregnant NHS nurse who died from Covid-19.

Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, 28, who worked as a nurse on a general ward at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital for five years, died on Sunday.

Her baby daughter was delivered successfully by caesarean section and is doing well, according to the hospital.

It was not clear whether she has also tested positive for the disease.

Trump threatens to shut down both chambers of Congress

Donald Trump has threatened to shut down both chambers of Congress in a move no president has ever made.

The US leader said he would take the action in order to fill vacancies in his administration without Senate confirmation.

Mr Trump said he was frustrated lawmakers were not in Washington to vote on his nominees for positions during the coronavirus crisis.

South Korea's ruling party races to landslide victory at election held amid coronavirus crisis

South Korea's ruling liberal party has secured a resounding victory in parliamentary elections held in the shadow of the coronavirus crisis.

The vote had the highest turnout in nearly three decades despite the outbreak, which led to the enforcement social distancing measures at polling places.

The comfortable majority will likely embolden president Moon Jae-in's government to pursue its objectives.

Its agenda includes reviving diplomacy with nuclear-armed rival North Korea.

Army veteran's NHS fundraiser tops £10 million

A 99-year-old army veteran who set out to raise £1,000 for the NHS has now received more than £10 million in donations.

Captain Tom Moore was described as “an inspiration to us all” by Matt Hancock, hours before his fundraising campaign hit its latest jaw-dropping landmark.

Mr Moore, who lives with his family in Bedfordshire, decided to fundraise for the NHS by walking the 25-metre loop of his garden 100 times ahead of his 100th birthday.

On this day...

1746: The army of Charles Stuart, the Young Pretender 'Bonnie Prince Charlie', was routed by Cumberland at the Battle of Culloden.

1912: American Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel.

1951: The British submarine Affray sank in the English Channel with the loss of 75 lives.

1953: The royal yacht Britannia was launched by the Queen.

1964: Twelve members of the Great Train Robbery gang were sentenced to a total of 307 years in jail.

2007: The Bank of England was forced to publish an open letter to the Chancellor for the first time after a shock surge in inflation to above 3 per cent.

2010: Travel chaos spread across Europe as planes were grounded in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia as a result of an ash cloud from

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