European Union(EU) on Wednesday agreed to allow visitors from outside the bloc <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-big-pharma-is-trying-to-block-vaccine-patent-waivers-385902">vaccinated</a> with EU-authorised vaccines.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/rate-of-covid-19-infections-in-europe-begin-to-ease-386062/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"EU ambassadors agreed to update the approach to travel from outside the European Union," Christian Wigand, EU spokesman said.

The proposal was moved earlier this month to include "safe" countries.

"The Council should also soon expand the list of non-EU countries with a good epidemiological situation from where travel is permitted based on the new criteria agreed today," Wigand added.&nbsp;

Wigand asserted that "emergency brake would be used to limit the risk of variants entering the bloc"&nbsp;

"This will help progressively resume international inbound travel where it's possible to do so safely," the EU spokesman added.

The European Union had disallowed non-essential travel since March last year as the continent battled the virus. However, after the vaccination drive, several countries have begun to reopen.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-increasingly-confident-that-vaccines-work-against-variant-first-detected-in-india-says-boris-johnson-386056">British </a>citizens would soon be allowed due to its vaccination drive. The EU had earlier issued a green list which included citizens from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-for-asia-singapore-approves-pfizer-vaccine-for-teens-amid-surge-in-covid-19-cases-386055">Singapore</a>, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, Israel, New Zealand and Rwanda to enter the 27 countries.

Shops in France reopened on Wednesday for the first time in over two months as it began emerging from the third lockdown in the last one year.

The country's authorities also reopened museums, cinemas and cafes&nbsp;after more than six months of coronavirus curbs.

Amid the euphoria, French President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-african-leaders-push-to-redirect-100-billion-in-imf-sdr-reserves-by-october-385938">Macron</a> said: "If we manage to organise ourselves, vaccinate and maintain collective discipline, there is no reason that we cannot continue to progress."

European Union(EU) on Wednesday agreed to allow visitors from outside the bloc vaccinated with EU-authorised vaccines. Watch: "EU ambassadors agreed to update the approach to travel from outside the European Union," Christian Wigand, EU spokesman said.

European Union(EU) on Wednesday agreed to allow visitors from outside the bloc vaccinated with EU-authorised vaccines. Watch: "EU ambassadors agreed to update the approach to travel from outside the European Union," Christian Wigand, EU spokesman said. The proposal was moved earlier this month to include "safe" countries. "The Council should also soon expand the list of non-EU countries with a good epidemiological situation from where travel is permitted based on the new criteria agreed today," Wigand added. Wigand asserted that "emergency brake would be used to limit the risk of variants entering the bloc" "This will help progressively resume international inbound travel where it's possible to do so safely," the EU spokesman added. The European Union had disallowed non-essential travel since March last year as the continent battled the virus. However, after the vaccination drive, several countries have begun to reopen. British citizens would soon be allowed due to its vaccination drive. The EU had earlier issued a green list which included citizens from Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, Israel, New Zealand and Rwanda to enter the 27 countries. Shops in France reopened on Wednesday for the first time in over two months as it began emerging from the third lockdown in the last one year. The country's authorities also reopened museums, cinemas and cafes after more than six months of coronavirus curbs. Amid the euphoria, French President Macron said: "If we manage to organise ourselves, vaccinate and maintain collective discipline, there is no reason that we cannot continue to progress."

As Europe reopens, European Union to ease travel restrictions for non-EU tourists

France faced weekend lockdown even as the Polish government announced a three-week partial lockdown from Saturday as Europe continues to grapple with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/worlds-first-baby-with-coronavirus-antibodies-born-in-us-371053">coronavirus</a> epidemic.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/coronavirus-update-new-coronavirus-variant-found-in-frances-brittany-371012/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In Poland the daily tally of new coronavirus cases reached the highest level this year as the government announced shopping malls, hotels, pools, gyms and schools will be closed until at least April 9.

Poland already has a string of restrictions in place, including closed restaurants, fitness centres and schools for grades 4 and higher.

The fresh restrictions come as Poland has seen the spread of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first detected in Britain which has been responsible for the majority of recent infections. The country has been implementing regional lockdowns to contain a surge in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-surge-in-covid-19-brazils-neighbours-limit-travel-to-virus-hit-country-370793">infections</a> driven by the new variant, however, the government has warned that a national lockdown was possible if case numbers kept rising.

Poland's health minister said the recent spike has added pressure on already overwhelmed hospitals forcing authorities to impose fresh restrictions. The country has already registered over 48,000 COVID-19 deaths with over 1,956 million cases.

Meanwhile, France recorded &nbsp;38,501 new infections in the last 24 hours as PM Jean Castex announced that new restrictions could be put in place for the Paris region with weekend lockdowns which is already in place in the Nice and Calais regions.

"We are in a worrying and critical situation and, clearly, measures of the type that have been used in other parts of the territory are on the table," Castex said.

France has been hit hard with the virus recording over 4.1 million cases and over 91,300 fatalities amid the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderna-to-begin-coronavirus-vaccine-trials-on-children-in-us-and-canada-371034">vaccination</a> drive. The vaccination drive in Europe has been hampered by a lack of doses with EU being criticised by health experts and citizens for its lack of planning.

In France, just over&nbsp;5.5 million people have received the first dose of the vaccine and nearly 2.4 million have received both doses.

France faced weekend lockdown even as the Polish government announced a three-week partial lockdown from Saturday as Europe continues to grapple with the coronavirus epidemic.

France faced weekend lockdown even as the Polish government announced a three-week partial lockdown from Saturday as Europe continues to grapple with the coronavirus epidemic. Watch: In Poland the daily tally of new coronavirus cases reached the highest level this year as the government announced shopping malls, hotels, pools, gyms and schools will be closed until at least April 9. Poland already has a string of restrictions in place, including closed restaurants, fitness centres and schools for grades 4 and higher. The fresh restrictions come as Poland has seen the spread of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first detected in Britain which has been responsible for the majority of recent infections. The country has been implementing regional lockdowns to contain a surge in infections driven by the new variant, however, the government has warned that a national lockdown was possible if case numbers kept rising. Poland's health minister said the recent spike has added pressure on already overwhelmed hospitals forcing authorities to impose fresh restrictions. The country has already registered over 48,000 COVID-19 deaths with over 1,956 million cases. Meanwhile, France recorded 38,501 new infections in the last 24 hours as PM Jean Castex announced that new restrictions could be put in place for the Paris region with weekend lockdowns which is already in place in the Nice and Calais regions. "We are in a worrying and critical situation and, clearly, measures of the type that have been used in other parts of the territory are on the table," Castex said. France has been hit hard with the virus recording over 4.1 million cases and over 91,300 fatalities amid the vaccination drive. The vaccination drive in Europe has been hampered by a lack of doses with EU being criticised by health experts and citizens for its lack of planning. In France, just over 5.5 million people have received the first dose of the vaccine and nearly 2.4 million have received both doses.

Poland announces partial lockdown amid virus surge in Europe

As Germany entered into a new partial lockdown, the death toll due to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-in-10-spaniards-have-had-covid-19-nationwide-antibody-study-shows-350064">coronavirus</a> shot up to 952 in the last 24 hours which is the highest since the outbreak of the virus in the country.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covid-restrictions-return-around-the-world-as-cases-continue-to-rise-350156/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The number of infected cases in Germany has risen to over 1.3 million with 23,427 fatalities.

Germany which had earlier reigned in the virus has seen cases skyrocket in recent months with Saxony being the hardest-hit region in recent days. Amid the rise in cases, COVID-19-related hospitalizations have also shot up.

The Merkel government has put down strict guidelines for partial <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-pharmaceutical-company-fosun-pharma-to-buy-100-million-doses-of-biontechs-covid-19-vaccine-350176">lockdown</a> measures which include closures of schools and non-essential shops. The latest restrictions is set to continue post-Christmas and into the new year until at least January 10.

The government has also put severe social restrictions in place during Christmas between December 24-26. New Year eve festivities have also been curtailed with the sale of fireworks and gatherings banned.

Chancellor Merkel has been left with the difficult choice during the Christmas holiday season as she declared that "evolution of the pandemic remains unpredictable" while adding that "vaccine will help us".

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had told European officials that, "To get to the end of the pandemic, we will need up to 70 per cent of the population vaccinated."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the World Health Organizations(WHO) has urged masks to be worn by citizens for Christmas family gatherings in Europe. The UN health body declared that there is a "high risk" of virus resurgence in Europe in early 2021.

Europe has been reeling with the virus with France, Denmark and several other European countries imposing tighter restrictions over the Christmas holiday season.

As Germany entered into a new partial lockdown, the death toll due to coronavirus shot up to 952 in the last 24 hours which is the highest since the outbreak of the virus in the country.

As Germany entered into a new partial lockdown, the death toll due to coronavirus shot up to 952 in the last 24 hours which is the highest since the outbreak of the virus in the country. Watch: The number of infected cases in Germany has risen to over 1.3 million with 23,427 fatalities. Germany which had earlier reigned in the virus has seen cases skyrocket in recent months with Saxony being the hardest-hit region in recent days. Amid the rise in cases, COVID-19-related hospitalizations have also shot up. The Merkel government has put down strict guidelines for partial lockdown measures which include closures of schools and non-essential shops. The latest restrictions is set to continue post-Christmas and into the new year until at least January 10. The government has also put severe social restrictions in place during Christmas between December 24-26. New Year eve festivities have also been curtailed with the sale of fireworks and gatherings banned. Chancellor Merkel has been left with the difficult choice during the Christmas holiday season as she declared that "evolution of the pandemic remains unpredictable" while adding that "vaccine will help us". European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had told European officials that, "To get to the end of the pandemic, we will need up to 70 per cent of the population vaccinated." Meanwhile, the World Health Organizations(WHO) has urged masks to be worn by citizens for Christmas family gatherings in Europe. The UN health body declared that there is a "high risk" of virus resurgence in Europe in early 2021. Europe has been reeling with the virus with France, Denmark and several other European countries imposing tighter restrictions over the Christmas holiday season.

Germany records highest COVID-19 death toll on first day of partial lockdown

As several countries in Europe continue to be in various stages of lockdown, Turkey's capital entered its first full weekend lockdown since May amid growing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-wouldnt-demand-it-be-mandatory-biden-on-vaccine-347715">coronavirus</a> cases.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-becomes-first-country-to-vaccinate-citizens-outside-trials-347631/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Turkey recorded 32,736 new COVID-19 cases as the virus continues to surge in the country. The death toll due to the virus in Turkey rose to 193 with the total number of fatalities rising to 14,509.

President Erdogan had earlier announced the full weekend lockdown including a curfew on weekdays in order to minimise the impact on the economy.

Europe which has been hit the hardest due to the virus witnessed a surge in cases last month even as several countries began lifting the strict lockdown measures imposed earlier ahead of the busy Christmas season.

The Austrian government has undertaken mass testing programme to help the country safely emerge from the second coronavirus lockdown.

The Austrian government informed the second lockdown had at least some effect in infection cases with&nbsp;new COVID-19 cases going down from 4,954 last week.

Like Austria, Slovenia announced mass nationwide testing to begin from December 11 or 12 as the country took steps to come out of lockdown last month.

Belgium is also currently under lockdown until December 13 even as shops open gradually with restaurants expected to stay closed until January.

In Greece, PM Mitsotakis faced a severe backlash over a mountain bike trip which deemed to have violated the government's strict lockdown measures. Greece has imposed lockdown till December 14 after enforcing it on November 7.

At least 2,800 people have died of the virus in Greece as it continues to grapple with the virus.

As several countries in Europe continue to be in various stages of lockdown, Turkey's capital entered its first full weekend lockdown since May amid growing coronavirus cases.

As several countries in Europe continue to be in various stages of lockdown, Turkey's capital entered its first full weekend lockdown since May amid growing coronavirus cases. Watch: Turkey recorded 32,736 new COVID-19 cases as the virus continues to surge in the country. The death toll due to the virus in Turkey rose to 193 with the total number of fatalities rising to 14,509. President Erdogan had earlier announced the full weekend lockdown including a curfew on weekdays in order to minimise the impact on the economy. Europe which has been hit the hardest due to the virus witnessed a surge in cases last month even as several countries began lifting the strict lockdown measures imposed earlier ahead of the busy Christmas season. The Austrian government has undertaken mass testing programme to help the country safely emerge from the second coronavirus lockdown. The Austrian government informed the second lockdown had at least some effect in infection cases with new COVID-19 cases going down from 4,954 last week. Like Austria, Slovenia announced mass nationwide testing to begin from December 11 or 12 as the country took steps to come out of lockdown last month. Belgium is also currently under lockdown until December 13 even as shops open gradually with restaurants expected to stay closed until January. In Greece, PM Mitsotakis faced a severe backlash over a mountain bike trip which deemed to have violated the government's strict lockdown measures. Greece has imposed lockdown till December 14 after enforcing it on November 7. At least 2,800 people have died of the virus in Greece as it continues to grapple with the virus.

Turkey enters weekend lockdown as Europe grapples with virus

Greece on Saturday announced partial lockdown amid coronavirus surge in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-registers-94000-coronavirus-cases-in-24-hours-tally-passes-9m-339148">Also Read:&nbsp;US registers 94,000 coronavirus cases in 24 hours; tally passes 9M</a>

Portugal is also considering tighter restrictions as COVID-19 situation deteriorates.

"We must act now, before intensive care units buckle under the strain of lives in danger," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. The new lockdown measures will come into force on Tuesday with restaurants and leisure activities ordered to close.

"There will also be overnight curfew imposed in Greece," Mitsotakis said.

Meanwhile, reports say UK PM Boris Johnson is contemplating a lockdown across England from next week.&nbsp;

Britain has been the worst-hit country due to the virus with over 46,000 deaths which is the highest in Europe. &nbsp;London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "Government delay has cost both lives and livelihoods."&nbsp;

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have already reimposed partial lockdowns as the virus has surged in their countries.

Amid the lockdown, Protesters clashed with police in Barcelona as protests erupted over coronavirus restrictions. Violent clashes were also witnessed.

Greece on Saturday announced partial lockdown amid coronavirus surge in the country. Also Read: US registers 94,000 coronavirus cases in 24 hours; tally passes 9M Portugal is also considering tighter restrictions as COVID-19 situation deteriorates.

Greece on Saturday announced partial lockdown amid coronavirus surge in the country. Also Read: US registers 94,000 coronavirus cases in 24 hours; tally passes 9M Portugal is also considering tighter restrictions as COVID-19 situation deteriorates. "We must act now, before intensive care units buckle under the strain of lives in danger," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. The new lockdown measures will come into force on Tuesday with restaurants and leisure activities ordered to close. "There will also be overnight curfew imposed in Greece," Mitsotakis said. Meanwhile, reports say UK PM Boris Johnson is contemplating a lockdown across England from next week. Britain has been the worst-hit country due to the virus with over 46,000 deaths which is the highest in Europe. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "Government delay has cost both lives and livelihoods." Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have already reimposed partial lockdowns as the virus has surged in their countries. Amid the lockdown, Protesters clashed with police in Barcelona as protests erupted over coronavirus restrictions. Violent clashes were also witnessed.

Greece announces partial lockdown, UK PM Johnson contemplates lockdown

LONDON — Britain’s desperate attempt to curb a second wave of the coronavirus has exposed multiple fractures in its politics and society, but perhaps none as jagged as that between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the mayor of Greater Manchester, the country’s second-largest urban area.

For days, the mayor, Andy Burnham, has been engaged in a war of words with Johnson and his ministers over the government’s plan to elevate hard-hit Manchester to the highest level of restrictions. That would shut down pubs, bars and gyms and forbid all socializing by people from different households.

Burnham says that the restrictions would devastate the city’s economy, and that the central government has not offered adequate financial aid to the people who would lose their jobs during the lockdown. He has been a nearly ubiquitous presence on television, waging a fierce rebellion on behalf of his 2.8 million constituents.

“People can’t just be pressurized into it,” Burnham said of the new restrictions, to Sky News on Monday. “I’m not going to be pressurized into it. And I’m not just going to kind of roll over at the sight of a check.”

Burnham’s resistance is rooted in the long-held grievances of people in the old industrial cities of the north of England toward the politically dominant government sitting in London. While it has delegated some powers to regional authorities in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Westminster government retains highly centralized control over England and its major urban centers.

But the standoff between Manchester and London also reflects mounting frustration with Johnson’s erratic, often opaque handling of the pandemic, as well as a dash of ambition and old-fashioned political manoeuvring.

Burnham, a 50-year-old native of Liverpool, is a Labour Party stalwart who twice ran unsuccessfully for party leader. Having served as health secretary under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he traded in his seat in the opposition in 2016 to run for mayor of Greater Manchester, a newly created post. He is responsible for a far-flung metropolitan region, though he has less power than big-city mayors in the United States.

“With his limited powers, Andy Burnham is taking advantage of his legitimacy,” said Tony Travers, an expert in urban affairs at the London School of Economics. “He has clearly sensed that the central government is weak.”

Burnham’s clash with London carries echoes of the ill will between President Donald Trump and Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City. As with them, much of the dispute comes down to complaints over a lack of financial support. But de Blasio has considerably more power than Burnham, who has little control over budgetary matters and must obtain the consent of council leaders for many decisions.

What Burnham does have is an antenna for national politics — and for the fact that Johnson won a landslide victory in the election last year by promising to close the economic gap between England’s more prosperous south and the struggling regions of the Midlands and the north. That message lured many traditional Labour voters to the Conservative Party, shattering Labour’s vaunted “red wall.”

Johnson, analysts said, could easily alienate those voters if he foists an economically ruinous lockdown on them.

“There is a sense,” Travers said, “that people in Greater Manchester are having things done to them by a distant government.”

Burnham has complained of being cut out of the deliberations over when to impose the heightened restrictions, saying he often learns of decisions from press reports attributed to unnamed Downing Street officials. And he says the government does not share the epidemiological data that is driving its decisions, which makes it impossible to judge whether a lockdown is necessary in one place but not another.

There is no debate that Manchester was hit hard by the resurgence of the virus at the end of the summer, in part because of its large student population. Its current rate of infection is 432 cases per 100,000 people, well above the national average. But its rate of cases has declined from a peak of 583 per 100,000 in the seven days before Oct. 3.

Government officials said that infections were continuing to rise there among vulnerable older people, and that based on current projections, intensive care units at hospitals in Greater Manchester would reach capacity by Nov. 8. The supply of hospital beds, officials said, is a more relevant barometer than cases.

Johnson’s aides are frustrated by Burnham’s resistance, which some view as cynical posturing. On Sunday, Michael Gove, a senior cabinet minister who holds the title of chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, urged the mayor and his allies to “put aside for a moment some of the political positioning they’ve indulged in.”

But while the government has the power to impose health requirements on any city in England, Johnson has been reluctant to do it over the objections of the mayors. Public adherence to the rules depends in no small part on how faithfully the local authorities enforce them.

As the talks between Manchester and London dragged on Monday, the government began separate negotiations with officials in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire about elevating those regions to so-called Tier 3 status. Wales, which controls its own health policy under the terms of the United Kingdom’s limited self-government, plans to impose a temporary lockdown on the entire region.

All told, Britain reported 18,804 new cases Monday, and 80 deaths.

Before elevating Liverpool to the highest-risk category, Johnson struck an agreement with Steve Rotheram, the Labour mayor of the Liverpool city region. The prime minister hailed that deal as an example of bipartisan cooperation, and clearly hoped it would be a template for other cities.

Burnham, however, is demanding that the government pay 80% of the wages of people who lose their jobs because of the lockdown — the same compensation it offered in the national wage subsidy program that it is winding down this month. So far, the government has offered to offset two-thirds of lost wages.

Burnham has called on Johnson and the Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, to hold a vote in Parliament on the financial aid that the government should offer cities placed under the highest level of lockdown. But Johnson, who has kept control over the pandemic response tightly in Downing Street, rejected that.

“Establishing clear national entitlements of the kind we had during the first lockdown,” Burnham said, “will create a sense of fairness, which in turn would help build public support for, and compliance with, any new restrictions.”

LONDON — Britain’s desperate attempt to curb a second wave of the coronavirus has exposed multiple fractures in its politics and society, but perhaps none as jagged as that between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the mayor of Greater Manchester, the country’s second-largest urban area.

LONDON — Britain’s desperate attempt to curb a second wave of the coronavirus has exposed multiple fractures in its politics and society, but perhaps none as jagged as that between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the mayor of Greater Manchester, the country’s second-largest urban area. For days, the mayor, Andy Burnham, has been engaged in a war of words with Johnson and his ministers over the government’s plan to elevate hard-hit Manchester to the highest level of restrictions. That would shut down pubs, bars and gyms and forbid all socializing by people from different households. Burnham says that the restrictions would devastate the city’s economy, and that the central government has not offered adequate financial aid to the people who would lose their jobs during the lockdown. He has been a nearly ubiquitous presence on television, waging a fierce rebellion on behalf of his 2.8 million constituents. “People can’t just be pressurized into it,” Burnham said of the new restrictions, to Sky News on Monday. “I’m not going to be pressurized into it. And I’m not just going to kind of roll over at the sight of a check.” Burnham’s resistance is rooted in the long-held grievances of people in the old industrial cities of the north of England toward the politically dominant government sitting in London. While it has delegated some powers to regional authorities in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Westminster government retains highly centralized control over England and its major urban centers. But the standoff between Manchester and London also reflects mounting frustration with Johnson’s erratic, often opaque handling of the pandemic, as well as a dash of ambition and old-fashioned political manoeuvring. Burnham, a 50-year-old native of Liverpool, is a Labour Party stalwart who twice ran unsuccessfully for party leader. Having served as health secretary under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he traded in his seat in the opposition in 2016 to run for mayor of Greater Manchester, a newly created post. He is responsible for a far-flung metropolitan region, though he has less power than big-city mayors in the United States. “With his limited powers, Andy Burnham is taking advantage of his legitimacy,” said Tony Travers, an expert in urban affairs at the London School of Economics. “He has clearly sensed that the central government is weak.” Burnham’s clash with London carries echoes of the ill will between President Donald Trump and Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City. As with them, much of the dispute comes down to complaints over a lack of financial support. But de Blasio has considerably more power than Burnham, who has little control over budgetary matters and must obtain the consent of council leaders for many decisions. What Burnham does have is an antenna for national politics — and for the fact that Johnson won a landslide victory in the election last year by promising to close the economic gap between England’s more prosperous south and the struggling regions of the Midlands and the north. That message lured many traditional Labour voters to the Conservative Party, shattering Labour’s vaunted “red wall.” Johnson, analysts said, could easily alienate those voters if he foists an economically ruinous lockdown on them. “There is a sense,” Travers said, “that people in Greater Manchester are having things done to them by a distant government.” Burnham has complained of being cut out of the deliberations over when to impose the heightened restrictions, saying he often learns of decisions from press reports attributed to unnamed Downing Street officials. And he says the government does not share the epidemiological data that is driving its decisions, which makes it impossible to judge whether a lockdown is necessary in one place but not another. There is no debate that Manchester was hit hard by the resurgence of the virus at the end of the summer, in part because of its large student population. Its current rate of infection is 432 cases per 100,000 people, well above the national average. But its rate of cases has declined from a peak of 583 per 100,000 in the seven days before Oct. 3. Government officials said that infections were continuing to rise there among vulnerable older people, and that based on current projections, intensive care units at hospitals in Greater Manchester would reach capacity by Nov. 8. The supply of hospital beds, officials said, is a more relevant barometer than cases. Johnson’s aides are frustrated by Burnham’s resistance, which some view as cynical posturing. On Sunday, Michael Gove, a senior cabinet minister who holds the title of chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, urged the mayor and his allies to “put aside for a moment some of the political positioning they’ve indulged in.” But while the government has the power to impose health requirements on any city in England, Johnson has been reluctant to do it over the objections of the mayors. Public adherence to the rules depends in no small part on how faithfully the local authorities enforce them. As the talks between Manchester and London dragged on Monday, the government began separate negotiations with officials in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire about elevating those regions to so-called Tier 3 status. Wales, which controls its own health policy under the terms of the United Kingdom’s limited self-government, plans to impose a temporary lockdown on the entire region. All told, Britain reported 18,804 new cases Monday, and 80 deaths. Before elevating Liverpool to the highest-risk category, Johnson struck an agreement with Steve Rotheram, the Labour mayor of the Liverpool city region. The prime minister hailed that deal as an example of bipartisan cooperation, and clearly hoped it would be a template for other cities. Burnham, however, is demanding that the government pay 80% of the wages of people who lose their jobs because of the lockdown — the same compensation it offered in the national wage subsidy program that it is winding down this month. So far, the government has offered to offset two-thirds of lost wages. Burnham has called on Johnson and the Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, to hold a vote in Parliament on the financial aid that the government should offer cities placed under the highest level of lockdown. But Johnson, who has kept control over the pandemic response tightly in Downing Street, rejected that. “Establishing clear national entitlements of the kind we had during the first lockdown,” Burnham said, “will create a sense of fairness, which in turn would help build public support for, and compliance with, any new restrictions.”

As Britain edges toward lockdowns, long-held grievances flare up

EU commissioner Mariya Gabriel tested positive for COVID-19 as Europe continued to grapple with the virus with the UK set to announce a three-tier lockdown system amid a surge in coronavirus cases in northern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-1800-students-staff-at-north-england-universities-test-positive-for-coronavirus-334203">England</a>.

Watch:

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The EU commissioner for research and innovation, Mariya Gabriel in a tweet said: "After a first negative <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-he-is-medication-free-describes-coronavirus-battle-334171">COVID-19</a> test on Monday, my second one is positive."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
After a first negative <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> test on Monday, my second one is positive. I have been in self-isolation since Monday and continue staying at home, following the established regulations. Keep yourself healthy and stay safe!
— Mariya Gabriel (@GabrielMariya) <a href="https://twitter.com/GabrielMariya/status/1314890374788378632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"I have been in self-isolation since Monday and continue staying at home, following the established regulations. Keep yourself healthy and stay safe!" Gabriel added.&nbsp;

Germany which had earlier kept a check over virus cases announced curfews in bars and cafes amid tighter social gathering restrictions for Berlin and Frankfurt as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-imposes-fines-for-not-wearing-face-masks-as-covid-19-cases-surge-334295">virus </a>cases mounted this week.

In Berlin, authorities have restricted meetings between 11pm and 6am with only up to 50 people allowed to meet during the day in one place. Despite the tight restrictions, the German capital reported 1,500 confirmed coronavirus cases in the past week.

In Frankfurt, curfew was announced from 10pm for restaurants while serving alcohol in public places has been banned.

In Brussels, curfew has been declared from 11pm on bars and cafes. As cases rise in the UK, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce tough new measures for northern England and the Midlands including Livepoool, reports said.

Tier three is the highest level of coronavirus alert, if implemented it would mean no social contact allowed for anyone outside a person's household which includes outdoor activities with the tier-three lockdown set to kick in from Tuesday, according to reports.

Britain has been the hardest-hit country in Europe with over 42,000 fatalities. According to the UK's Office of National Statistics, 1 in 240 in England had coronavirus during the week from September 25 to October 1.

EU commissioner Mariya Gabriel tested positive for COVID-19 as Europe continued to grapple with the virus with the UK set to announce a three-tier lockdown system amid a surge in coronavirus cases in northern England.

EU commissioner Mariya Gabriel tested positive for COVID-19 as Europe continued to grapple with the virus with the UK set to announce a three-tier lockdown system amid a surge in coronavirus cases in northern England. Watch: The EU commissioner for research and innovation, Mariya Gabriel in a tweet said: "After a first negative COVID-19 test on Monday, my second one is positive." After a first negative #COVID19 test on Monday, my second one is positive. I have been in self-isolation since Monday and continue staying at home, following the established regulations. Keep yourself healthy and stay safe! — Mariya Gabriel (@GabrielMariya) October 10, 2020 × "I have been in self-isolation since Monday and continue staying at home, following the established regulations. Keep yourself healthy and stay safe!" Gabriel added. Germany which had earlier kept a check over virus cases announced curfews in bars and cafes amid tighter social gathering restrictions for Berlin and Frankfurt as the virus cases mounted this week. In Berlin, authorities have restricted meetings between 11pm and 6am with only up to 50 people allowed to meet during the day in one place. Despite the tight restrictions, the German capital reported 1,500 confirmed coronavirus cases in the past week. In Frankfurt, curfew was announced from 10pm for restaurants while serving alcohol in public places has been banned. In Brussels, curfew has been declared from 11pm on bars and cafes. As cases rise in the UK, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce tough new measures for northern England and the Midlands including Livepoool, reports said. Tier three is the highest level of coronavirus alert, if implemented it would mean no social contact allowed for anyone outside a person's household which includes outdoor activities with the tier-three lockdown set to kick in from Tuesday, according to reports. Britain has been the hardest-hit country in Europe with over 42,000 fatalities. According to the UK's Office of National Statistics, 1 in 240 in England had coronavirus during the week from September 25 to October 1.

COVID-19: Berlin, Frankfurt impose curfew as UK braces for tier-three lockdown