Euobserver.com

China delivered two million surgical masks, 200,000 N95 masks and 50,000 testing kits to Italy, said the European Commission on Monday. The gear is a direct donation to the European Union, with distribution set for throughout Italy. "We are grateful for China's support," said Janez Lenarčič, European Commissioner for crisis management, noting that the EU had also delivered some 56 tonnes of equipment to China already in February.

The European Commission approved a €56.8bn "umbrella" scheme to help UK small and large firms affected by coronavirus. The scheme was approved under new and more flexible rules on state aid to help soften the economic fallout of the virus. Although the UK is no longer a part of the EU, it still has to follow its rules during a transition period set to last until the end of 2020.

EU leaders have begun to explore possible exit strategies to their national lockdowns - as the latest figures in the worst-hit member states indicate a slowing in the rate of new coronavirus cases and deaths.

The German chancellor warned that the only answer can be more Europe. However, disagreements countinue over how to rebuild the bloc's economy after the pandemic. Commissioner Gentiloni warned about the state's increased role.

UK prime minister Boris Johnson was taken to intensive care at a hospital in London. The 55-year old Johnson was tested positive for the virus Covid-19 ten days ago. The BBC news reports he was given oxygen late Monday evening. "Over the course of [Monday] afternoon, the condition of the prime minister has worsened," said a government statement.

The threat of sanctions coupled with personal EU diplomacy can help in the global "battle for truth", award-wining Phillipine journalist Maria Ressa, who faces prison, has said.

When journalists were barred from the EU Commission press room in March because of coronavirus, the relatively-new chief spokesperson, Eric Mamer, amiable Frenchman, had to improvise.

Poland's deputy prime minister Jaroslaw Gowin on Monday resigned in opposition to the controversial presidential election on 10 May. The ruling Law and Justice party wants to push ahead with the election as its candidate, incumbent president Andzej Duda, has been gaining in polls during the coronavirus crisis, while opposition has been unable to campaign. Gowin has said the presidential election should be delayed for two years.

The Spanish government is working to roll out a universal basic income as soon as possible, as part of a number of measures aimed at containing the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, Bloomberg reported. The project will focus on assisting families, and is coordinated by social security minister Jose Luis Escriva. Spain has been the country second-worst by the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, after Italy.

The European People's Party (EPP) group in the European Parliament on Monday urged the EU Commission to develop an EU data centre and common data collection standards - after reports revealed enormous differences among member states. "We urgently have to set up a platform to collect and analyse the available data on infections and diseases of the pandemic," said MEP Christian Ehler, EPP spokesman for industry and research.

French police said on Sunday they had arrested a third suspect in a terror probe triggered after a man went on a deadly knife rampage on Saturday in the southeastern town of Romans-sur-Isère. Three Sudanese nationals have been detained over the incident. The main suspect, a refugee, who killed two people and injured five, was found by police "on his knees on the pavement praying in Arabic" after the attack.

Greek authorities on Sunday said that a second migrant camp has been placed under lockdown after a 53-year old Afghan migrant tested positive for coronavirus. The Malakasa camp is hosting some 1,800 migrants. Greece last week placed the Ritsona migrant camp under lockdown for at least 14 days. About 40,000 migrants live in squalid conditions on five Greek islands, and rights groups have called for their transfer to mainland centres.

British prime minister Boris Johnson was admitted to a hospital Sunday for tests, because he is still suffering symptoms, 10 days after he was diagnosed with Covid-19, his office said. The admission to an undisclosed London hospital was not an emergency, Johnson's office said. It added that it was a "precautionary step" and Johnson remained in charge of the government.

Finance ministers will hold all-important online meeting to find ways to mitigate the econmic fallout from the pandemic and heal wounds between northern and southern member states.

After visiting European nationals first brought the virus to Africa, the European Union is now worried it could spread throughout the continent and bounce back to Europe.

On Sunday, Mahmoud Jibril died of coronavirus complications. He was in 2011 during the Libyan revolution against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi the leader of the National Transitional Council and interim prime minister. He convinced Westen leaders and the Arab League to intervene in Libya and stop the army of Gaddafi from entering Benghazi and committing a massacre. Jibril was also the leader of the largest Libyan political party.

It would take relatively few seriously ill patients on Greenland, the world's largest island, to outrun the capacity of the nation's health services.

The enormous differences between coronavirus cases reported worldwide raise questions on how countries are tracking their outbreaks - or even deliberately underreporting them.

EU should discuss all ideas free from prejudice, commission vice-president said, after capitals took positions similar to old financial crisis ahead of talks on Tuesday.

The EU Commission on Friday approved requests from EU countries plus Britain to temporarily waive customs duties and VAT on imported medical devices and protective equipment amid the coronavirus epidemic. The duty-free gear includes masks, testing kits and ventilators. The exemption will apply for a period of six months, with a possibility for extension. The decision takes effect retroactively from January 30.