Macron's address, Italy's football fans: COVID-19 daily bulletin

TOP HEADLINES

• France's President Emmanuel Macron is to address the country at 18:00 GMT on Sunday where he is expected to announce an end to various lockdown measures for the whole country from 22 June.

• Non-essential retailers in the UK will be allowed to reopen from Monday , as long as they are able to adhere to social distancing regulations.

• Tourists from Germany, Iceland and Norway are to be permitted to enter Denmark from Monday, as the country gradually lifts its travel restrictions.

• Italian professional football could played in front of at least some fans next month if the rate of infection continues to drop in the country according to the head of Italy's football federation, Gabriele Gravina.

• Germany plans to make $563 million available to businesses to help with company training and apprenticeships in the hope it prevents many from collapsing.

• France has reported 24 new COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the overall total to 29,398. It is the fourth successive day where the total has been below 30.

• Russia has reported 8,835 new cases, bringing the nationwide number of infections to 528,964. Fatalities grew by** 119 in the past 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 6,948.**

• Around one third of UK citizens ** approve of the government's handling of the pandemic** , according to a poll carried out by the

Observer.

• Germany's death toll rose by just six in the past 24 hours , bringing the cumulative total to 8,787. Cases also rose by 247 to 186,269.

• More than 100 people were arrested following violent protests in London on Saturday. Police were attacked by demonstrators, many linked to far-right groups, after thousands gathered saying they were protecting statues.

Empty football stadiums in Italy could be short-lived. If the rate of infection continues to drop nationwide, fans could be allowed to return in July. /AFP

I'm happy but there is still one piece missing, which is the participation of the fans and I hope they can return very quickly. I hope it will be the beginning of July - the first week or mid-July at the latest.

• Gabriele Gravina, President, Italian football federation

ACROSS EUROPE

Stefan de Vries in Paris

President Emmanuel Macron of France will address the nation in a televised speech tonight at 18:00 GMT.

He is expected to announce that the lockdown measures for the entire country will end on 22 June. France's economy is one of the hardest hit in the European Union. In the last few days, the president has been consulting economists, politicians, intellectuals, and others to find a way out of the crisis.

As the internal European borders are reopening again on Monday, Macron will probably announce that France intends reopening its borders from countries outside Europe again on 1 July. This reopening will be gradual and depending on the health situation in each country.

Iolo ap Dafydd in London

More than 100 people were arrested after violent protests in central London on Saturday. Far-right groups staged a protest, claiming they wanted to protect British monuments and statues. Dozens of white men, some drinking alcohol, clashed for hours with the Metropolitan police. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, "Racist thuggery has no place on our streets."

In London and other UK cities, a number of peaceful anti-racism protests were held, and more are expected on Sunday.

Retailers in England are gearing up to re-open non essential shops after being closed for two and a half months during the coronavirus lockdown. Johnson has commissioned a review into whether to scrap the two meter social distancing rule. Many within his party oppose it on the ground it's damaging to hospitality businesses who hope to open in July.

Tighter health regulations remain in place in Wales and Scotland.

Three years after one of the worst modern disasters in modern British history, the Grenfell fire's third anniversary will be marked today. Seventy two people lost their lives, and a public inquiry into how the blaze killed so many, and why, will re-start after the coronavirus pandemic.

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