• Global death toll nearing 400,000 US bouncing back
• Worst of COVID over in Italy—Pope
The global death toll from the coronavirus neared 400,000 on Sunday with fatalities accelerating in Latin America.
Brazil now has the world's third-highest death toll from the virus, but President Jair Bolsonaro has threatened to leave the World Health Organization over "ideological bias," following the example of the United States.
"The United States left the WHO, and we're studying that, in the future. Either the WHO works without ideological bias, or we leave, too," the far-right leader told journalists.
Bolsonaro is among those arguing that the economic damage lockdowns are causing is worse than the virus itself.
Pope: Worst is over for Italy
Pope Francis said on Sunday the worst of the coronavirus crisis was over in Italy, addressing the faithful for the first time in Saint Peter's Square since the health emergency began.
The pontiff's address came a day after the Vatican said there were no more cases of COVID-19 within its population.
"Your presence in the square is a sign that in Italy the acute phase of the epidemic is over," Francis told those assembled for his weekly Angelus prayer.
"But be careful… do not celebrate victory too soon," he added, warning of the need to continue following social distancing rules.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement late Saturday that the last person found to have been infected with the coronavirus in recent weeks had tested negative.
US 'largely through'
The worst health crisis in more than a century has infected nearly 6.9 million globally and forced tens of millions out of work just in the United States, the world's hardest-hit nation.
But President Donald Trump said his country was bouncing back.
"We had the greatest economy in the history of the world. And that strength let us get through this horrible pandemic, largely through, I think we're doing really well," he told reporters.
As the country reels from a second weekend of massive protests against racism and police brutality, Trump – facing re-election in November – reiterated his calls to further ease stay-at-home measures.
EU to reopen borders
In Europe, badly-hit countries slowly continued on a path toward a post-pandemic normal, also seeking to revive key tourist sectors in time for the summer.
The European Union said it could re-open borders to travellers from outside the region in early July, after some countries within the bloc re-opened to European visitors.
In France, the Palace of Versailles re-opened without the US and Chinese tourists that usually make up a third of its visitors.
The country also marked the anniversary of the 1944 D-Day landings with a fraction of the big crowds seen in previous years, owing to strict social distancing restrictions.
UK to reopen places of worship on June 15
The UK government said Sunday it will reopen places of worship "for private individual prayer" on June 15 as it continues to progressively ease coronavirus restrictions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office said services and worship groups will still be banned for the time being due to concern that the virus spreads more quickly in enclosed spaces.
"People of all faiths have shown enormous patience and forbearance, unable to mark Easter, Passover, Ramadan or Vaisakhi with friends and family in the traditional way," Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said in a statement. "We are now able to move forwards with a limited but important return to houses of worship."
Britain's official COVID-19 death toll of 40,465 is second only to that of the United States.
