Germany hopes to end global travel warning in June, but no return to normal
Germany is hoping to replace a travel warning that is in place for all touristic trips abroad until June 15 with softer guidelines, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday, but warned there would be no quick return to holidays as usual.
Cafes and churches open in Italy and Greece; Spain eyes summer reboot
Italian shops, restaurants and churches reopened their doors to spring sunshine on Monday, Greece welcomed visitors back to the Acropolis – and Spain hoped for tourists to return in summer in cautious steps to ease coronavirus lockdowns.
WHO chief to review its pandemic handling, vows transparency
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday that he would initiate an independent evaluation of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic at the “earliest appropriate moment” and vowed transparency and accountability.
Vatican, Italy resume public church services as lockdown eases
Pope Francis inaugurated the full reopening of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Monday and Catholic churches across Italy held public Masses for the first time in two months, in the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions.
Zimbabweans go hungry as coronavirus compounds climate woes
Rosemary Pamire struggled to feed her family well before Zimbabwe entered lockdown in March to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Now she can hardly put together a meal a day as the country faces a deepening food crisis.
Russian army sets up mobile hospital to fight coronavirus at Siberian gold mine
Russia’s defence ministry is setting up a mobile field hospital at the largest Siberian mine of the country’s top gold producer, Polyus, to treat miners who contract the new coronavirus, the company said on Monday.
Outbreak at Chinese-owned factory shows challenges of easing India’s lockdown
Chinese smartphone maker OPPO suspended operations at a recently re-opened plant in India after workers tested positive for the coronavirus, an official said on Monday, underlining the challenges of easing a near two-month nationwide lockdown.
Climate activists line London’s Trafalgar Square with kids’ shoes
Climate activists placed more than 2,000 pairs of children’s shoes in neat rows across London’s Trafalgar Square on Monday to demand the British government stop bailing out carbon intensive industries that pollute the environment.
Hungary and Slovenia aim to reopen border by June 1: minister
Hungary and Slovenia have agreed on a road map towards a gradual reopening of their border by June 1, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.
China defends handling of coronavirus, backs review of global response under WHO
China’s president called on Monday for an independent review of the global response to the coronavirus pandemic under the World Health Organization once the virus is under control, and defended Beijing’s own handling of the pandemic.
