Europe

MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/: The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 582 in the past 24 hours, reaching 4,731, the coronavirus response center said in a statement on Saturday.

"So far, a total of 4,731 coronavirus cases have been recorded in 78 Russian regions. As many as 52 patients were discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 333. Nine patients died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 43," the statement reads.

MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/: Animal trials of a prototype vaccine for the novel coronavirus are expected to be completed in late April and human trials will begin in June, Director General of the Novosibirsk-based Vector State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Rinat Maksyutov said in Nailya Asker-Zade’s documentary dubbed Dangerous Virus, which was aired on Rossiya-1.

New York, Apr 3 (AFP/PTI) Irish aircraft leasing company Avolon said Friday it was canceling an order for 75 737 MAX planes due to the massive deterioration in travel because of COVID-19.

The planes being canceled had been scheduled for delivery in the 2020-2023 timeframe. Avolon also pushed back delivery of 16 other 737 MAX planes to 2024 or later and also annulled a plan to buy four Airbus A330neo aircraft.

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited the leaders of Britain’s opposition parties to work with him during this “moment of national emergency”, saying he wants to hear their views during the coronavirus pandemic.

Johnson said he would invite all leaders of Britain’s opposition parties to a briefing next week with the country’s chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser.

“As party leaders we have a duty to work together at this moment of national emergency,” he said.

WARSAW (Reuters) - Postal voting could allow Poland’s presidential elections to be held in May despite the coronavirus, President Andrzej Duda said in an interview published on Saturday, amid signs the governing coalition could split over the issue.

The nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party wants to hold elections on May 10 despite the pandemic, and has proposed legislation to introduce postal ballots to replace physical voting.

A more liberal junior coalition partner, Accord, said it was unrealistic for the election to proceed and proposed a postponement of two years.

LONDON (Reuters) - Keir Starmer was elected as the leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party on Saturday, pledging to bring an end to years of bitter infighting and to work with the government to contain the raging coronavirus pandemic.

Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions who was known for a forensic attention to detail when opposing the country’s exit from the European Union, won with 56% of the vote.

LYON, France (Reuters) - A man armed with a knife attacked people out shopping in the southeastern French town of Romans-sur-Isère on Saturday, killing two and wounding four, the mayor said.

The town is currently under a coronavirus lockdown, although people are allowed out to buy essentials.

The attacks took place in the morning outside a bakery where customers were queuing, and at shops in the town center, according to Mayor Marie-Hélène Thoraval, who said the assailant had been arrested.

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary is preparing to announce a roughly $30 billion package of measures to help jump-start the economy, a top government official said on Saturday, as the coronavirus outbreak shutters factories and raises the specter of recession.

Parliament, where the ruling Fidesz party has a strong majority, has granted Prime Minister Viktor Orban the right to rule by decree to fight the coronavirus, ignoring calls by opponents and rights groups to put a timeframe on the extra powers.

MOSCOW, April 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia is ready to cooperate with Saudi Arabia and the United States to cut oil production, President Vladimir Putin said.

Putin said Russia was willing to make agreements within the framework of the OPEC+ group and that “we are ready for cooperation with the United States of America on this issue,” according to a statement published by the Kremlin.

“I believe that it is necessary to combine efforts in order to balance the market and reduce production.”

BRUSSELS, April 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 250,000 European Union citizens are still trying to get home, as the number of people stranded by the coronavirus outbreak remains high even after the EU has repatriated some 350,000 people, its top diplomat said.

While the repatriation of EU nationals since mid-March was moving swiftly, the number of people abroad seeking help keeps rising as more of them seek assistance via their embassies, said the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell.