Published on
•Updated
Share this article
Comments
Join us live at 18h CEST as the UK government gives an update on the country's COVID-19 outbreak.
Summary of the latest key developments:
Macron and Merkel back EU bond to raise €500 billion for Europe's COVID-19 recovery
No plan to scrap the €698 surcharge fee migrant care workers must pay to access NHS, UK government said
Public church services in Italy resume as shops and restaurants reopen
Chinese Premier Xi Jinping insists country was transparent with information
Celtic FC declared champions after Scottish Premiership scrap the season
Follow the latest updates below:
${title}
${body}
Live ended
US COVID-19 death toll exceeds 90,000
A total of 90,312 people have died from the novel coronavirus in the US as of Monday, according to a tally kept by the Johns Hopkins University.
The country has also now recorded more than 1.5 million confirmed infections.
Acropolis reopens after two-month coronavirus shutdown
Greece has reopened the Acropolis as well as all of its outdoor archaeological sites.
Sixty days after it closed to the public, the world-famous hill is now again ready to welcome visitors from all around the world.
However, this summer will be different. Only a limited number of tourists will be allowed on the Acropolis and they will have to respect social distancing rules.
The site can host around 2,000 people at the same time and the use of masks is strongly advised.
Trump announces he's been taking hydroxychloroquine
The US President said on Monday that he's been taking the anti-malaria drug for a little over a week to prevent symptoms should he get the novel coronavirus.
The drug has not been proven effective to combat the disease.
How the English Premier League aims to resume the 2019/2020 football season
The return of Premier League football moved one step closer on Monday following a virtual meeting between clubs and shareholders.
Squads of players will now return to training on Tuesday while maintaining social distancing measures.
The decision was voted on unanimously by shareholders as the Premier League progressed with attempts to restart the 2019-20 season "when safe to do so".
France top court orders government to reopen places of worship
France's Council of State, the country's highest court, has ordered the government to lift its ban on gatherings at places of worship.
It said that "freedom of worship, which is a fundamental right, also includes among its essential components the right to participate collectively in ceremonies, in particular in places of worship."
It gave Prime Minister Edouard Philippe eight days to lift the blanket ban and instead called on the authorities to "adopt measures strictly proportionate to health risks and appropriate at the start of this 'de-confinement'."
UN chief slams countries for ignoring WHO advice
Calling for an “end to the hubris”, Antonio Guterres said the pandemic should serve as a “wake-up call” to a world which needs to be more united in its response to crises.
By ignoring the WHO’s advice, the UN Secretary-General said the virus has spread to poorer countries where it “could have even more devastating effects”.
Calling the WHO “irreplaceable”, he insisted it needed more resources to support developing countries.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
Analysis: Should children go back to school during a pandemic?
Today, Belgium joins Denmark and many others in reopening primary and secondary schools - with those strict conditions of course.
But, in other countries, rows are raging about pupils getting back to the classroom; most notably in France and England.
Click here for the full analysis by Euronews' Political Editor, Darren McCaffrey.
Shakespeare's Globe theatre warns of risk of closure
London's Globe Theatre is has warned it faces "insolvency and closure" due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport parliamentary committee (DCMS) has revealed.
In a letter Britain's Culture Secretary, the DCMS called on the government to "step up for cultural institutions", creative industries and its freelance workers. It urges the government to go beyond the emergency funding that has been announced and to be prepared to meet long-term needs.
"Shakespeare's Globe is a world-renowned institution and not only part of our national identity, but a leading example of the major contribution the arts make to our economy. For this national treasure to succumb to Covid-19 would be a tragedy," DCMS chair Julian Knight MP said.
France records 131 new deaths
The French COVID-19 death toll reached 28,239 on Monday after a daily increase of 131, authorities have announced.
17,589 of the fatalities were recorded in hospitals with the remaining 10,650 were registered in care homes.
No change to £625 fee for migrant care workers, says UK minister
The British government has no plan for now to amend its rule whereby migrant care workers have to pay an £625 (€698) surcharge fee to access the NHS.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said however that the rule is being kept under review.
But he praised the "exceptional" contribution made by non-British care workers.
Children experiencing "extremely mild" COVID-19
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said that children experience an "extremely mild" disease and that the evidence they transmit the virus to adults is "pretty sparse".
Italy registers fewer than 100 daily deaths for first time in two months
Ninety-nine COVID-19 patients died in Italy over the previous 24 hours, authorities have confirmed.
This is the lowest daily toll since March 9 when 97 lost their lives.
The total number of fatalities in the country now stands at 32,007.
The number of confirmed cases is now 225,886 after a one-day increase of 451.
Macron and Merkel back EU-bond to raise €500 billion for COVID-19 recovery plan
The announcement came in a joint virtual press conference where the German Chancellor and the French President announced a Franco-German initiative to tackle the economic crisis in Europe amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Other key measures that are part of this initiative were announced earlier by the German chancellery in a statement.
- Strategic sovereignty in the health sector and development of an EU "health strategy"
- Establishment of an ambitious economic recovery fund at EU level for solidarity and growth
- Acceleration of digitalization and of the green deal
- Strengthening of the EU's economic and industrial resilience and "sovereignty and new impetus for the internal market"
US: 'WHO is responsible for loss of lives'
US Secretary of Health Alex Azar has said that the "failure" of the WHO to "obtain the information the world needed" on the Covid-19 pandemic has cost lives, adding that the organisation must become "more transparent".
He added that "at least one member" of the WHO "made a mockery" of transparency obligations in what he defined an "apparent attempt" to conceal the virus outbreak.
Canada: 'Global cooperation never so important'
Canada made a call for a vaccine that is "affordable and accessible" to everybody, adding that the imperative now is to "learn constantly, share widely and act quickly".
Australia: 'No country can make it alone' against Covid-19
"Inclusivity has never been more important" as we confront the immediate impact of coronavirus on the community, Australia's Health Minister Greg Hunt said, adding that his country will keep playing an important part in fighting this pandemic as well as any future one.
Premier League clubs back on training ground 'in small groups' from tomorrow
Players will have to maintain social-distance and contact-training won't be permitted.
The Premier League said this was agreed with players, managers, Premier League club doctors, independent experts and the UK government.
It is not clear yet when games will resume.
Paris announces nearly €200 million to support businesses and families
Paris city council approved an aid-plan of almost €200 million for businesses and families in difficulty, in the perspective of an economic and social crisis. "The economic and social consequences of this crisis will be deep and long," warned Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
FIFA to host charity game to raise funds
The date and place are not known yet, but the game could be hosted in a few months, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement. The game would raise funds for technologies and tools to help fight the Covid-19 emergency.
Coronavirus 'shared challenge' that we must defeat through a 'collective response', UK says
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has just spoken, focusing on the need for a collective response to fight the virus, as the UK prepares to host the Global Vaccine Summit on June 4. He also thanked health workers around the world, adding that there will be lessons to be learnt for all of us at the end of this pandemic, stressing though that the priority now remains to find a vaccine.
'The more we work together, the quicker we overcome the pandemic'
In a brief video message, Merkel stressed the importance of working together internationally to get past COVID-19, adding that reviews should be in place to see how the WHO could improve.
She said: "I am convinced we will overcome the pandemic. The more we work together internationally, the quicker we will achieve this."
She said: "I am convinced we will overcome the pandemic. The more we work together internationally, the quicker we will achieve this."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel now...
South Korea upholds its response to the virus as 'a choice of freedom for all'
South Korea's president said his citizens made "a choice" at the beginning of the pandemic to look at their individual freedoms and to opt for "freedom for all".
In a veiled reference at leaders laying blame at China's door for the crisis, Moon Jae-in said: "Rather than regard our neighbours as dangerous spreaders of the virus, or enforcing nationwide lockdown measures, we chose our safety."
He said South Korean citizens chose to wear masks and social distance to uphold both free movement and the economy.
In a veiled reference at leaders laying blame at China's door for the crisis, Moon Jae-in said: "Rather than regard our neighbours as dangerous spreaders of the virus, or enforcing nationwide lockdown measures, we chose our safety."
He said South Korean citizens chose to wear masks and social distance to uphold both free movement and the economy.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in will be speaking next...
The launch of a new initiative to fight the pandemic
Macron pays tribute to everyone who has continued to work during the pandemic to protect the lives of others, "sometimes doing so at the risk of their own lives".
"Only if we join forces" will the world beat the pandemic, Macron says, and encouraging further support for the WHO. He says this is why France has "substantially" increased funding to the organisation, and has created - along with European partners - a new initiative to speed up research and universals in the fight against the pandemic.
"Only if we join forces" will the world beat the pandemic, Macron says, and encouraging further support for the WHO. He says this is why France has "substantially" increased funding to the organisation, and has created - along with European partners - a new initiative to speed up research and universals in the fight against the pandemic.
Our lives have been 'turned upside down' as COVID-19 'exposes the vulnerability of all of us'
Macron opens his address with an acknowledgement that such a conference is being held at a vital time in history.
He says: "The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down. It has brought economies to a halt and exposed the vulnerability of all of us."
The virus, he adds, has served as a reminder of how "valuable" human health is, and how valuable those are who protect it.
He says: "The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down. It has brought economies to a halt and exposed the vulnerability of all of us."
The virus, he adds, has served as a reminder of how "valuable" human health is, and how valuable those are who protect it.
French President Emmanuel Macron is up next...
China pledges to provide $2bn (€1.8bn) over three years to help with the COVID-19 response
'We need to improve the governance for public health security'
Jinping says the pandemic has highlighted the inefficiencies in public health security, and warns that COVID-19 may not be the last such crisis to "come knocking".
He calls for the establishment of "global reserve centres" containing epidemic supplies.
He calls for the establishment of "global reserve centres" containing epidemic supplies.
'We need to step up information sharing"
Jinping advocates for a larger exchange in information between nations, including experiences and past practices in order to understand everything there is to know about the disease.
Laying his support behind WHO for leading the global response to the pandemic, he says: "Under the leadership of Dr Tedros, WHO has made a major contribution in leading and advancing the global response to COVID-19."
Laying his support behind WHO for leading the global response to the pandemic, he says: "Under the leadership of Dr Tedros, WHO has made a major contribution in leading and advancing the global response to COVID-19."
Laying out the following proposals...
Jinping says the "most urgent" would be to master the control and treatment of COVID-19, while governments "put the people first."
"Because nothing is more precious than people's lives," he said, adding: "We need to deploy expertise and supplies to countries where they are needed the most."
"Because nothing is more precious than people's lives," he said, adding: "We need to deploy expertise and supplies to countries where they are needed the most."
Jinping assures China has acted with 'transparency and responsibility' in its response to the virus
The Chinese premier said the country's transparency led to the release of the genome sequence "at the earliest possible time" and in sharing controlled experiments "without reservation".
He added that China had "done everything in our power to support and assist countries in need" as it "turned the tide on the virus".
He added that China had "done everything in our power to support and assist countries in need" as it "turned the tide on the virus".
'For every life lost, I express condolences to the bereaved families'
Jinping begins with a tribute to the families around the world who have lost loved ones to COVID-19.
"The virus does not respect borders," he said, adding that the international community had "not flinched" in the face of the disease, and the "people of all countries have tackled the virus head on".
"The virus does not respect borders," he said, adding that the international community had "not flinched" in the face of the disease, and the "people of all countries have tackled the virus head on".
China's President Xi Jinping is now speaking via video link...
'If we do not control the spread of the virus, the economy will never recover'
Stressing that issues with the health crisis and economy are tightly interwoven, the secretary general then warned that economies would likely "never recover" if the world fails to control COVID-19.
He said, in that respect, he had asked the G20 nations to look at a recovery plan on a large scale that would cover 10% of the world's GDP.
He said, in that respect, he had asked the G20 nations to look at a recovery plan on a large scale that would cover 10% of the world's GDP.
'A microscopic virus has brought us to our knees'
The secretary general said the virus has "exposed fragility" in all the world's institutions, including the fight against climate change, nuclear disarmament, and against cyber warfare.
"COVID-19 must be a wake-up call," Guterres said, adding: "Deep feelings of powerlessness must lead to greater immunity. Deadly global threats require new unity and solidarity."
"COVID-19 must be a wake-up call," Guterres said, adding: "Deep feelings of powerlessness must lead to greater immunity. Deadly global threats require new unity and solidarity."
UN Secretary General António Guterres is now up...
Sormmaruga thanks healthcare workers around the world
In her opening speech, the Swiss president praised healthcare workers particularly amid the "special circumstances" seen today, and encourages working together to fight the current health crisis.
Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga is the first to address the assembly via video link
The assembly begins...
The World Health Organisation has opened with an introductory video replayed in several languages. The rest of the opening ceremony is due to commence shortly.
Join us for the opening ceremony of the World Health Assembly - where Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to make an address - here at the top of the hour...
India sees a large surge in infections after an easing of travel restrictions
India eased domestic travel restrictions earlier this month to allow migrant workers to go home - but this has since been attributed to a recent surge in new cases of COVID-19.
There were 5,242 new cases of COVID-19 and 157 deaths recorded in 24 hours to Monday.
The federal government has now extended the lockdown until the end of the of month, while individual states have been given extra control on how to implement it.
India currently has the highest number of cases in Asia, having recorded more than 96,000 infections. Just over 3,000 people have died.
There were 5,242 new cases of COVID-19 and 157 deaths recorded in 24 hours to Monday.
The federal government has now extended the lockdown until the end of the of month, while individual states have been given extra control on how to implement it.
India currently has the highest number of cases in Asia, having recorded more than 96,000 infections. Just over 3,000 people have died.
Ireland enters phase one of five-step plan to lift restrictions
Traffic jams as Romanians wait to cross border into Hungary after restrictions eased
Queues of traffic were filmed at the Romania-Hungary border at the town of Nadlac on Sunday.
Crowds of people had planned to cross over into Hungary as lockdown restriction were eased - either to look for jobs in the West or to head home from other countries.
Crowds of people had planned to cross over into Hungary as lockdown restriction were eased - either to look for jobs in the West or to head home from other countries.
Turkey's senior citizens allowed outside for their second Sunday since coronavirus
Turkey's over 65 population were allowed to leave their homes for a second Sunday as the country continued to see a relaxation of its lockdown measures.
The senior citizens, who are the worst-affected age group from COVID-19, were allowed out for a total of six hours and were advised to wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
The senior citizens, who are the worst-affected age group from COVID-19, were allowed out for a total of six hours and were advised to wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Japan sinks into recession as pandemic stings economic outlook
The Japanese economy shrank 0.9% in the first quarter, plunging it into a recession that looks to worsen as the pandemic continues to affect its vital trade with China and the US.
Things looked even more dramatic on a seasonally adjusted annual GDP, which saw a 3.4% drop.
Things looked even more dramatic on a seasonally adjusted annual GDP, which saw a 3.4% drop.
Oxford vaccine 'progressing well' amid aims to have 30 million doses by September
A potential COVID-19 vaccine undergoing clinical trials at Oxford University is "progressing well" and has been subject to an order for 100 million doses if proven to be a success.
UK Business Secretary Alok Sharma made the announcement on Sunday, adding that 30 million of those doses would first be rolled out to the UK by its goal of September.
UK Business Secretary Alok Sharma made the announcement on Sunday, adding that 30 million of those doses would first be rolled out to the UK by its goal of September.
Bayern Munich beats Union Berlin as Europe's football seasons begin to resume
The first Bundesliga game has been held after a relaxation of Germany's lockdown, seeing Bayern Munich claim a 2-0 victory over Union Berlin.
It was a match unlike any other - mostly due to the empty stands surrounding the pitch in a sight set to become a familiar one as the world awaits a COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, in Spain, league clubs have been given the green light to resume group training sessions this week.
Regions with tighter restrictions in place will be able to train in groups of ten, while this will be increased to 14 per group in places with lesser measures.
It was a match unlike any other - mostly due to the empty stands surrounding the pitch in a sight set to become a familiar one as the world awaits a COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, in Spain, league clubs have been given the green light to resume group training sessions this week.
Regions with tighter restrictions in place will be able to train in groups of ten, while this will be increased to 14 per group in places with lesser measures.
Coronavirus is 'brutally exposing' the flaws in Britain's health system
An editorial review in the British Medical Journal has criticised the UK's response to COVID-19 for being neither "well prepared nor remotely adequate".
It compared other national responses to the UK, which has the highest numbers of virus-related deaths in Europe, and attributed the results to the "government’s decimation of public health during years of austerity".
"The most serious public health crisis of our times requires a strong and credible public health community at the heart of its response," it said.
"A UK government that prioritises the health and wellbeing of the public will see the importance of rebuilding the disempowered and fragmented infrastructures of its public health system.
"Anything less is an insult to the tens of thousands of people who have lost their lives in a pandemic for which the UK was forewarned but not forearmed."
It compared other national responses to the UK, which has the highest numbers of virus-related deaths in Europe, and attributed the results to the "government’s decimation of public health during years of austerity".
"The most serious public health crisis of our times requires a strong and credible public health community at the heart of its response," it said.
"A UK government that prioritises the health and wellbeing of the public will see the importance of rebuilding the disempowered and fragmented infrastructures of its public health system.
"Anything less is an insult to the tens of thousands of people who have lost their lives in a pandemic for which the UK was forewarned but not forearmed."
ICYMI: Some of our explanatory long reads from the weekend
Italy to relax coronavirus measures further as PM warns of life without a vaccine
Restaurants, bars and beach facilities will be able to open in Italy from today, several weeks earlier that originally scheduled.
It comes as Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte warned that life after lockdown would need to adapt to living alongside COVID-19 while a vaccine is developed.
He said: "We are confronting this risk, and we need to accept it, otherwise we would never be able to relaunch."
Italy is one of the hardest-hit nations in Europe by the disease, recording nearly 32,000 deaths.
It comes as Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte warned that life after lockdown would need to adapt to living alongside COVID-19 while a vaccine is developed.
He said: "We are confronting this risk, and we need to accept it, otherwise we would never be able to relaunch."
Italy is one of the hardest-hit nations in Europe by the disease, recording nearly 32,000 deaths.
Good morning, Europe! My name is Rachael and I will be keeping you up to date with the latest coronavirus news across the continent.
Share this article
Comments