THE GOOD NEWS HOPES OF A VACCINE BY OCTOBER, LOCKDOWNS EASING, FAITHS UNITED, AND FOOTBALL’S COMING BACK

Every day in this column, The Daily Telegraph will seek out and report snippets of comfort as the world fights coronavirus

♦ A vaccine could be ready by the end of October, according to pharmaceutical company Pfizer. Albert Bourla,

CEO of the American firm, told AFP: “If things go well, and the stars are aligned, we will have enough evidence of safety and efficacy so that we can… have a vaccine around the end of October.”

♦ Wales Nature Week is now under way, and this year is “all about nature in our gardens”. Virtual events will take place over the coming days and experts will answer questions, offer tips on how to make gardens wildlife-friendly and help spotters record sightings of plants and animals. Those without a garden can join in by spotting nature from their windows.

♦ The Premier League said on Saturday that it had recorded no positive virus results in its fourth round of testing. The league said that 1,130 players and club staff had been tested in the latest round – the first since clubs unanimously voted to return to contact training. The league has set a provisional date of return for June

17.

♦ Malta is to reopen its airport to passenger flights on July 1, Robert Abela, the prime minister, said yesterday. Non-essential shops and restaurants on the southern Mediterranean island were allowed to reopen in mid-may but churches and schools remain closed. Bars and gyms will reopen from Friday.

♦ Pope Francis addressed the faithful alongside the Archbishops of Canterbury and York for the first time yesterday to mark Pentecost Sunday. The Pope said that the world was experiencing “a tragic famine of hope”, but called on people to be “united” in facing the pandemic. “Only by walking together will we be able to go far,” he said.

♦ Two of Islam’s holiest sites reopened yesterday. Tens of thousands of mosques across Saudi Arabia, including the Prophet Mosque in the holy city of Medina, resumed prayers for the first time in more than two months though Mecca remained closed. The Al-asqa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site for Muslims, also reopened. ♦ Restaurants, cafés and bars in Paris will be permitted to put more tables outside when they reopen tomorrow. While their dining rooms will remain closed, restaurants and bars in the capital will be allowed to spread out along pavements and even into parking spaces in front of their buildings. ♦ The Irish government is considering speeding up easing of its lockdown, including reopening museums, galleries, hairdressers and other amenities by the end of June and bringing forward plans to remove limits on how far people can travel from home. Hotels could also be allowed to operate within limits, the Sunday Independent