International Live: The pandemic has killed at least 596,742 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year and more than 14 million have been infected, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT on Saturday based on official sources.

The United States has the most deaths with 139,266. It is followed by Brazil with 77,851, Britain with 45,119, Mexico with 38,310, and Italy with 35,028.

EU leaders are set to meet again in Brussels, hoping to overcome divisions about a planned 750-billion-euro ($857 billion) stimulus package.

The leaders met in person on Friday for the first time in five
months but 12 hours of haggling failed to yield a result after running into opposition from “frugal” countries led by the Netherlands and Austria.

Four million people in Spain’s second city and tourist hotspot are urged to stay home unless absolutely necessary. Barcelona’s cinemas, theatre and nightclubs have shut and gatherings
of more than 10 people are banned.

Wearing face masks in supermarkets is now mandatory in Greece, and local outdoor festivals are banned until the end of July. The country’s migration ministry also announces another extension of a lockdown on Greece’s packed migrant camps, which began on March 21 and is now extended till August 2.

Dhaka, 18 July (campuslive24.com)//IH