Italy is to ease its lockdown restrictions from next week, starting with businesses.
The country poses a key test for Europe’s attempts to restart public life and economies immobilised by the coronavirus.
Spain, the country with the most confirmed infections in Europe, also signalled tentative moves to restart its economy after weeks of lockdowns, as did France.
Countries including Germany are starting cautious reopenings. From Monday, masks will be mandatory on public transport in Germany and gatherings of more than 20 people will be banned.
In Switzerland, shops were already back in business on Monday while primary school pupils in Norway returned to school.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned it was too early for the UK to ease off its month-long isolation rules.
In his first public appearance in weeks after contracting Covid-19, Mr Johnson said he could not "throw away all the effort and the sacrifice of the British people and to risk a second major outbreak".
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said a gradual easing of restrictions would begin on May 4.
Mr Conte said it would be phased to ward off a second wave of infections that would cause more deaths and “irreversible damage” to the economy.
“We all want the country to restart,” he said. “But the only way to live with the virus in this phase is to not fall ill and social distancing. If you love Italy, keep your distance."
On Sunday Italy reported its fewest deaths over 24 hours in six weeks, France counted the fewest in a month while Spain’s death toll increase was the smallest in April.
Building and manufacturing wholesalers will be the first sectors allowed to reopen in Italy.
Retailers and museums will follow two weeks later and bars, restaurants and barbers possibly on June 1, Mr Conte said.
He said schools would not reopen until September.
Italian leaders are trying to save an economy that is headed for an 8 per cent drop this year.
But Mr Conte said that if the nation failed to respect rules including social distancing, the curve of contagion “will rise and could become out of control".
He said family members would be allowed to attend funeral services, but other restrictions on religious rites remained in place.
Mr Conte clashed at the weekend with some members of his government about reopening churches but decided to heed the advice of medical and scientific advisers to keep them shut.
“You can go to a museum but not celebrate a religious rite?” Elena Bonetti, Minister for Equal Opportunity and Family, asked in a tweet.
“This decision is incomprehensible, it will be changed.”
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is set to unveil his lockdown plan on Tuesday.
Schools are set to be first to reopen, reports say.
With more than 100,000 deaths, Europe has been hit hard by Covid-19 and is bracing for the worst recession in living memory.
The crisis has exposed political rifts, with leaders struggling to approve £469 billion (Dh2.14 trillion/US$582.88bn) of short-term support measures and a longer-term plan.
France and Spain are leading a group calling for Europe’s recovery to be funded by grants from an EU budget, while the Netherlands and Austria are among those insisting the funds to poorer nations should be in the form of loans.
Paolo Gentiloni, the EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Commissioner, called for a €1.5tn (Dh5.97tn/US$1.62tn) recovery fund to be available by mid-September.
It should disburse loans and grants, Mr Gentiloni said.
In Germany, new infections were fewer than 2,000 for a second day on Sunday, although government officials warned against easing restrictions too quickly.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas dampened hopes that European travel destinations would be reopened early.
“A European race to see who will allow tourist travel first will lead to unacceptable risks,” Mr Maas said.
In the UK the death toll topped 20,000 on Saturday, the fifth-highest in the world.
But on Sunday Britain reported a decline in daily deaths to 413, the lowest since March 31.
MATCH DETAILS
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum (14), Oxlade-Chamberlain (52)
Genk 1
Samatta (40)
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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