TOP HEADLINES:

- Spain plans to begin winding down its coronavirus lockdown measures in the second half of May, says Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

- The pandemic could lead to "biblical famines" and almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.

- Italy is also looking to ease lockdown measures after significant falls in the number of infections. The government will unveil plans for the gradual loosening of rules before the end of this week.

- Oil prices slumped again on Wednesday, with Brent Crude falling to its lowest price since 1999, as the market struggled with a massive collapse in demand for everything from gasoline to jet fuel. 

- The pandemic may have caused as many as 41,000 deaths in the UK, according to a Financial Times analysis of the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. It includes deaths outside hospitals and around double the 18,100 figure released by ministers on Wednesday. 

- French President Emmanuel Macron told the Australian prime minister now was not the time for an international investigation into the pandemic and that the urgency was to act in unison before looking for who was at fault.

- Austria's chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, said his country has been so successful in slowing the spread of the coronavirus that others, particularly Germany, have copied its plan for loosening its lockdown.

- Romania has issued 200,000 fines in less than a month to people who failed to comply with social restrictions. The fines handed out between 24 March and 19 April amount to $85m, are said to equal Romania's February 2020 corporate tax take.

- Russia recorded 5,236 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing its nationwide tally to 57,999. There were 57 deaths in the same period, pushing the overall toll to 513. 

- Germany gave the green light for human trials of potential coronavirus vaccines developed by German biotech company BioNTech, which is racing other teams in the country and also in the UK, the U.S. and China to develop an agent that will stop the pandemic.

- Pope Francis urged Europe to remain united ahead of an EU summit to discuss a huge but divisive economic stimulus package.

ACROSS EUROPE: 

Natalie Carney in Munich

Germany's consumers are in "crisis mode", according to the national retailers' association, following the decision to open small stores on Monday and furniture stores on Wednesday. 

Strict social distancing measures remain in place but despite the reopening, businesses are not reporting a rush back to the high street. Stefan Stukenborg, head of an Ikea branch on the outskirts of Cologne said: "It was very relaxed, there were no lines, there were no crowds." 

Germany's center for disease control has reported a slight rise in the reproduction rate, following a second consecutive day of acceleration in new infections.

Toni Waterman in Brussels

European Union leaders will attempt to nail down a financial plan on Thursday to tackle the impact of COVID-19, amid fears that rifts over bailouts, loans and debt could break up the bloc. The Heads of state are heading into that meeting with little chance of striking a deal on how to finance a recovery fund.

On Friday, Belgium's government will detail its post-lockdown plan. According to a draft seen by newspaper Le Soir, the easing would be carried out in three phases. 

First, those working in construction, manufacturing and scientific support services would be allowed back to work on 4 May, as long as social distancing measures are maintained. People could also start visiting family members or close friends one night a week. Group sizes would be limited. Playgrounds and parks would also reopen.

In the second phase, schools would reopen on 18 May, with children divided into small classes. But experts are suggesting nurseries remain closed. 
The third phase has no start date, but would free up social and cultural aspects of life including zoos, museums and theaters. 

Andrew Wilson in London

After a public government promise before the weekend, an RAF aircraft has brought a delayed delivery of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from Turkey. It has only carried about half the intended consignment, which was expected to include 400,000 gowns, which now top the list of NHS kit concerns.

Prime minister's questions in parliament starts today with the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, deputizing for Boris Johnson, who is still recovering from COVID-19. Raab is expected to face off against the Labour Party's new leader, Keir Starmer. 

UK suppliers across the country are accusing government officials of ignoring their offers to supply PPE, with one company actually exporting equipment rather than waiting any longer for government engagement.

As the difficulties associated with reducing distancing measures become clearer, the government is boosting UK efforts to find a vaccine, "the best way to defeat coronavirus," according to the health secretary at the latest briefing. 

Two UK vaccine trials are imminent, with human trials in Oxford scheduled for this week.

Ross Cullen in Paris

Places of worship are going to remain closed after 11 May, the date proposed when the strict lockdown should end in France. Schools are going to reopen but in stages over several weeks. The education minister has not ruled out making it compulsory for teachers and pupils to wear protective equipment when lessons do restart. Classes will also not be at full capacity, to allow safe distances between students.

The government is continuing to consider the strategy for after 11 May including making it compulsory for people to wear face masks on public transport and marking out safe distances inside buses and trains. It seems likely that some non-essential shops, such as hair salons and clothes stores will reopen but bars and restaurants are likely to remain closed for longer.

Meanwhile, dancers from Paris may have had to stop performing their famous can-can at the Moulin Rouge, but it hasn't stopped them moving to the music at home. They shared their lockdown workouts online and created a video to the sound of Jacques Offenbach's most well-known tune:

Isobel Ewing in Budapest 

The mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karacsony, has announced masks will be compulsory not only on public transport but also in shops, markets and taxis from 27 April.

Hungarian opposition party Jobbik has called on the government to end the decree to empty 60 percent of hospital beds, saying people are being sent home without further treatment and thousands of elderly people are at risk of their condition worsening. They've also rejected the government's decision to call doctors aged over 65 back to work, saying they're in the demographic group most endangered by COVID-19.

A Facebook group called "Relax, Doc!" aimed at helping healthcare workers find free housing has found places to live for 215 doctors, nurses and ambulance staff since it was set up a month ago.

Most housing offers are in Budapest, but some have also been received from Szeged, Gyor, Veszprém and the Lake Balaton area, Sopron, Kecskemét and Miskolc. The group lets people with empty apartments offer them for free, with homeowners signing a one-month contract with healthcare workers, which can be extended if necessary and possible.

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CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded. Here you can read the essential information about the crisis.

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