Italy and Belgium have introduced new socialising rules amid fears there could be a “tsunami” in coronavirus cases. The new restrictions in Belgium came into force as a government minister admitted the country can “no longer control” the current rate of COVID-19 transmission. Bars and restaurants have been closed with only takeaways allowed up until
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Tougher socialising rules are to be introduced in Italy to combat a rise in coronavirus cases – including its own rule of six. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Sunday that a maximum of six people will be allowed to sit together at restaurants and bars, and table service will be mandatory after 6pm. Other
Protests in Nigeria against a police unit accused of human rights abuses were expected to spread to London this weekend, in a further sign of the international solidarity that has formed around the movement. As social media posts and local TV coverage showed people take to the streets again in several towns and cities in
A landslide in Vietnam has killed at least 22 people days after another killed 13. In the latest incident, rocks and earth slid down a mountain onto an army base after a week of continuous rain in Quang Tri province. State-run Vietnam News Agency said eight people were able to get away, but the others
Jacinda Ardern has won a second term in office after her rival conceded in New Zealand’s general election. Initial tallies showed Ms Ardern’s Labour Party was ahead after her campaign was dominated by her successful handling of the coronavirus crisis. The 40-year-old leader went head to head with Judith Collins of the National Party in
Intensive care units in Europe could reach maximum capacity in weeks amid surging numbers of coronavirus cases, the World Health Organisation has warned. To try to curb the disease, France is bringing in a 9pm curfew in Paris and other big cities, the Czech Republic has shut schools and is building a field hospital, and
The teacher killed in a suburb of Paris in an Islamist terror attack has been named as Samuel Paty, Sky News has confirmed. Mr Paty, 47, was “assassinated”, France’s president has said. The history teacher, who is said to have discussed images of the Prophet Muhammad with his pupils, was beheaded, it has been reported.
The number of new daily coronavirus infections in France has jumped above 30,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic. There were a total of 30,621 new COVID-19 infections recorded on Thursday – a substantial rise from the 22,591 cases seen on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the number of people in France who have
A key ally of Brazil’s president has been arrested after anti-corruption officers discovered a wad of banknotes in the underpants he was wearing. Police initially found 10,000 reais (£1,380) and £4,650 inside a safe in Senator Chico Rodrigues’ house during a search on Wednesday. He then asked if he could go to the bathroom –
The UK and the European Union have imposed sanctions on several individuals and one organisation following the novichok poisoning of Alexei Navalny. Six members of Russian government, including the first deputy chief of staff to President Vladimir Putin, Sergei Kiriyenko, and deputy ministers to the ministry of defence, Alexei Krivoruchko and Pavel Popov, have been
A state of emergency has been declared in France, and President Emmanuel Macron has announced a curfew between 9pm and 6am for the areas worst-affected by coronavirus. Ile-de-France and eight metropolitan areas – including Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Aix-Marseille, Saint Etienne and Toulouse – will face the curfews for four weeks, starting on Saturday. During the
About 600 people are now reported to have died in clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The contested territory’s military said 16 more of its service people were killed in fighting on Tuesday – bringing the total number of those killed to 532 since fighting started on 27 September.
More than 90 million people could be forced into “extreme deprivation” this year as developing and emerging economies are hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned. In its latest World Economic Outlook, the world’s lender of last resort predicts the pandemic will undo decades of progress in reducing global
In Boulogne, the waves are pounding into the sea wall with an intimidating ferocity. France’s busiest fishing port is a place that has long been accustomed to the whims of nature, but it is political uncertainty that troubles them here now. For generations, boats have left this port to fish in the waters between France and
The son of George Floyd, who was killed when a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against his neck for almost nine minutes, has said he can’t stop watching the video of his father’s last moments alive. Quincy Floyd bowed his head and covered his face when he heard his father’s repeated cries of “I
An entire city of nine million people in China will be tested for COVID-19 in just five days after a small number of new cases emerged. People in Qingdao have been joining long queues for test centres following the confirmation of 12 infections, mostly linked to a hospital in the city, the state-run Global Times