Wednesday briefing: What you’ve missed at the Covid inquiry

In today’s newsletter: From allegedly lost WhatsApp messages to Sir Patrick Vallance’s frank lockdown diary, revelations only get more intriguing

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Good morning, and welcome to Dorland House, a one-time hotel in west London where former high court judge Baroness Hallett is chairing the independent public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is here that we have heard heartbreaking stories from the families of some of the 229,765 people who died from Covid, and seen the release of shockingly frank WhatsApp messages between ministers and their advisers.

Israel-Hamas war | A deadly blast at a hospital in Gaza City has upended US diplomatic efforts aimed at fending off the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and thrown a dark shadow over President Joe Biden’s imminent visit to the region. The hospital explosion has become a lightning rod for anger and sparked protests across the Middle East.

UK news | The UK’s infrastructure needs a big cash injection, with public transport, home heating and water networks all in dire need of renewal, independent government advisers have said. The investments, of about £30bn a year from the taxpayer and £40bn to £50bn a year from the private sector, would result in savings to the average household of at least £1,000 a year, higher economic productivity, and a better quality of life in the future.

Belgium | The man suspected to have killed two Swedish football fans in Brussels has been shot dead by police. Police said they opened fire during the arrest outside a cafe in the city centre and found a weapon and bag of clothes. The suspect was a 45-year-old of Tunisian origin and is said to have been inspired by Islamic State.

Charity | The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised £38.9m for the NHS, has defended building an oversized spa-pool complex in their home stating it has rehabilitation purposes for elderly people in the local area. Central Bedfordshire council have ordered the family to demolish the spa pool as it was unauthorised.

Politics | The prime minister and the Conservative party chair have been accused by charity Full Fact of spreading disinformation regarding Labour’s immigration plans. The pair have claimed Labour pledge to open up UK borders to 100,000 people a year which Full Fact warn could mislead voters in the next general election.