Masked and standing apart, the world tiptoes out of lockdown

Malaysia, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Finland, Nigeria, India, Thailand, Israel and Lebanon were also among countries variously reopening factories, construction sites, parks, hairdressers and libraries. (A monorail moves through a shopping district in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday, May 4, 2020. Many business sectors reopened Monday in some parts of Malaysia since a partial virus lockdown began March 18. - AP

ROME/WASHINGTON: Italy and the United States were among a slew of countries tentatively easing coronavirus lockdowns on Monday to revive economies as global deaths surpassed a quarter of a million.

World leaders and organisations pledged $8 billion (£6.4 billion) to fund a possible vaccine and treatments, many hoping explicitly to ensure that no country on Earth would be left out, but the United States did not contribute.