Europe

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German economy is starting to recover as curbs to slow the coronavirus are lifted, a business morale survey showed on Monday, and separate output data pointed to the importance of government spending to support the recovery.

Business morale in Europe’s largest economy rebounded in May, the Ifo economic institute said, recovering from its worst decline on record in April as a reopening of the economy boosted expectations among companies.

BRUSSELS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in European countries.

LONDON -- Another 118 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Saturday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 36,793, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday.

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

MINSK, Belarus (AP) — About 1,000 protesters denouncing authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s seeking of another term in an upcoming election have held the largest opposition demonstration of the year in the capital Minsk.

Many of the demonstrators carried slippers as a symbol of protest leader Sergei Tikhanovsky’s call to “smash the cockroach.”

Police, who frequently break up opposition demonstrations, didn’t interfere with the protesters on Sunday.

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/: Investigators of the Federal Security Service (FSB) have terminated a criminal case against a 17-year-old boy, who brought an explosive device to the agency’s regional office and died when it exploded, a law enforcement source told TASS.

"FSB investigators carried out a thorough investigation as part of the terrorism case launched against the teenager. Investigators received results of forensic examinations, questioned witnesses and resolved to terminate the case in connection with the suspect’s death, for reasons other than exoneration," the source said.

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/: Russian regions will be provided with 100 bln rubles ($1.4 bln) in assistance allocated in order to compensate for the declining budget revenues, according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

"The funds allocated in line with the Russian president’s instructions will be provided to 56 federal subjects where tax and non-tax revenues as of May 1, 2020 were lower than those in the previous two years," the government’s press service said.

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/: The United States is trying to use controlled media, bloggers and opposition politicians to undermine Russians’ trust in President Vladimir Putin, whose policy has brought the country to a new level, State Duma (lower house) Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Sunday.

"Our President Vladimir Putin has brought Russia to a new level when it is taken into account and respected. If compared with the 1990s, it is absolutely evident that there has been significant growth in all spheres of life," Volodin said.

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Russia rose by 8,599 in the past day, a record low growth since May 1, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Sunday.

A total of 344,481 COVID-19 cases have been registered in all Russian regions. According to the crisis center, the daily growth in cases was at a record low rate of 2.6% versus 2.9% a day earlier.

24 May 2020; AFP: Dozens of demonstrations were held across Germany on Saturday as part of a protest movement against coronavirus lockdown measures which is gaining momentum.

The rallies have been held weekly since the start of April, swelling in recent weeks to gatherings of thousands in major German cities.

The movement sees the government restrictions to curb the spread of the virus as the beginning of an authoritarian regime or an illegal attack on individual freedoms.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s government intends to stick with a plan to reopen primary schools to some pupils from June 1, Transport Minister Grant Shapps said on Sunday.

“That’s certainly the intention,” he told Sky News.

The government faces opposition to the plan from some teachers and labour unions.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), which is in talks with the German government over a 9 billion euro ($9.8 billion) bailout, will resume flights to 20 destinations from mid-June, including some holiday hot-spots, a spokeswoman said on Sunday.

The destinations include Mallorca, Crete, Rhodes, Faro, Venice, Ibiza and Malaga, the spokeswoman said, adding flights would depart from the airline’s main hub in Frankfurt.

Further destinations will be unveiled at the end of next week, she said.

Bild am Sonntag first reported the new destinations.