The economy at the forefront
As the summer weakens the impact of the pandemic in the northern hemisphere, economic issues are coming to the forefront. There are impatient dissenters who want all measures to be lifted immediately.
- Hungary's government is set to end its coronavirus emergency powers by early June. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff was reported by hirtv.hu as saying a proposal will be submitted to the parliament on 26 May.
- China's President Xi Jinping told members of the World Health Organization that global cooperation was essential to beat coronavirus as he unveiled a $2 billion aid package.
- French president Emmanuel Macron is to hold a video conference with Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, with the leaders set to present a new Franco-German initiative. It is reported to involve public health and economic recovery.
- European shares bounced back on Monday after their worst week in two months as investors hoped for some economic recovery with countries easing lockdown restrictions. And oil prices climbed by more than $1 a barrel.
- Britain should set up "travel bubbles" with low-risk countries to allow travel rather than bringing in a 14-day quarantine rule when flights restart, London's Heathrow Airport has stated.
- Italy will launch a campaign later this month to encourage investors to buy its government debt and take some of the strain in fighting the economic impact of coronavirus from the banks, says Reuters.
- The UK has added the loss of smell and taste to its official list of COVID-19 symptoms including fever and new continuous cough – a step it hopes could help pick up about 2 percent more cases.
- Russia has had fewer than 10,000 new coronavirus cases for the third day in succession. The country reported 8,926 more people with the virus on Monday – having had more than 10,000 cases regularly through much of May. The overall death toll is 2,722 after 91 more people died in the past 24 hours.
