Paris (AFP)

New assessments, new measures, highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic.

- Prepare for a future pandemic -

Several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, believing that the European Union had not been up to the challenge of Covid-19, asked the EU to study ways to better prepare for the next pandemic.

- Threat of "food crisis" -

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of a "global food crisis" with long-term repercussions for "hundreds of millions of children and adults" if nothing is done to alleviate the consequences of the pandemic.

- North Korea: "hungry" people -

Food insecurity is increasing in North Korea, where some have been "starved" since the border with China was closed and other measures taken against the pandemic, warned a UN expert.

Pyongyang has not confirmed any cases of Covid-19.

- More than 407,000 dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 407,914 people worldwide since its onset in December in China, according to a report compiled by AFP from official sources Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. GMT.

More than 7,169,550 cases have been officially diagnosed in 196 countries and territories.

The United States is the most affected country, with 111,375 deaths. This is followed by the United Kingdom with 40,883 dead, Brazil (37,134), Italy (34,043), and France (29,296).

- Air sector: record losses -

Airlines could suffer more than $ 84 billion in net losses in their fiscal year 2020, and more than $ 15 billion still in 2021, as a result of the pandemic, the International Air Transport Association announced.

- France helps aeronautics

France has unveiled a vast plan to support the aeronautical sector representing "a total effort of 15 billion euros", including 1.5 billion spent on research towards a carbon neutral aircraft in 2035.

- Euro zone: fall in GDP -

Affected by containment measures, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the euro area fell 3.6% in the first quarter, its largest decline since the creation of the single currency in 1999.

- Survey in France -

French justice has announced the opening of a vast preliminary investigation into the criticized management of the Covid-19 crisis in the country.

- Moscow lives again -

Moscow has embarked on a gradual deconfinement providing for the gradual reopening of shops, restaurants and places of leisure.

Wearing a mask in the street, to which are added gloves in closed places and transport, remains compulsory.

- Mandatory mask in Spain -

The mask will remain mandatory under penalty of a fine in Spain once the deconfinement is complete and until the coronavirus is "definitively defeated".

- Deconfinement -

Turkey announced the lifting under conditions of confinement imposed on seniors and young people.

In England, all retail businesses will be able to reopen from June 15.

- Tourism -

Cyprus welcomed its first tourists, with flights arriving from Bulgaria, Greece and Israel.

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower will reopen on June 25, wearing a mandatory mask and climbing only by the stairs.

The Balearic archipelago will welcome German tourists from June 15.

- Pangolin -

China has removed ingredients from pangolin, believed to have played a role in the transmission to humans of the new coronavirus, from the official list of products in the traditional pharmacopoeia.

burs-acm / ber / fjb

© 2020 AFP