Australian authorities ordered more businesses to close Saturday along with a slew of new restrictions in the country's largest city as a weeks-long lockdown failed to quash an outbreak of Covid-19.

Any retail deemed not "critical" would be forced to close across Sydney and its surroundings while those in hard-hit suburbs would be placed under stricter stay-at-home orders from midnight on Saturday, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian told media in Sydney.
-It's not good enough for us to tread water which is what we're doing now; we've to some extent stabilised it, but we're not managing to quash that curve- Berejiklian said.
Authorities clamped down on people's movements out of virus hotspots in the city's southwest, banning locals from leaving their neighbourhoods unless they worked in emergency services or health care.
The tightening of restrictions, including a pause on all construction work in the city, comes as over six million residents completed their third week under stay-at-home orders.
One new death from the virus was also recorded in New South Wales as daily cases climbed above 100, while the number of cases active in the community was remaining "stubborn", Berejiklian said.
-I can't remember a time when our state has been challenged to such an extent- she said.
In Melbourne, as residents endured the second day of their fifth lockdown since the pandemic began, authorities tightened the already strict controls on travel from Sydney after the virus spread from the city.
-We've gone hard, and we've gone early to make sure that this lockdown is as short as possible- Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley told media in Melbourne.
A painfully slow vaccine rollout and the fast-spreading Delta variant are threatening Australia's so-far successful "Covid zero" strategy -- achieved mainly by essentially closing its borders to the world since March last year.

The tightening of restrictions, including a pause on all construction work in the city, comes as over six million residents completed their third week under stay-at-home orders

Australian authorities ordered a slew of new restrictions in the country's largest city as a weeks-long lockdown failed to quash an outbreak of Covid-19

Sydney tightens lockdown amid 'stubborn' outbreak

Half a million Covid-19 vaccines began shipping Thursday from the United States to Jordan in the latest stage of a global US effort to overcome the pandemic, officials said.

A senior White House official told AFP: -500,000 doses of Pfizer will begin to be shipped to Jordan from the United States. These doses arrive in Jordan on Saturday.-According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the doses are being sent in a direct arrangement with Jordan, rather than through the international Covax program.
-We are proud to be able to deliver these safe and effective vaccines to the people of Jordan- the official told AFP.
Referring to so-called vaccine diplomacy contests between the United States, Russia and China, the official added: "We are sharing these doses not to secure favors or extract concessions... We are doing this with the singular objective of saving lives."
In addition to 80 million doses already set aside for allocation worldwide, the Biden administration has committed to donating $2 billion to Covax.
It is also purchasing 500 million Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for the African Union and 92 poorer countries.
-This is a unique moment in history, and it requires American leadership- the official said.
Jordan, with a population of about 10 million, has succeeded in sharply tamping down the pandemic.
According to the World Health Organization, there have so far been 9,855 deaths in Jordan from the coronavirus, with the peak in fatalities occurring this March.
Beyond Jordan, US vaccine donations have shipped out as far afield as Vietnam, Honduras and Bangladesh.

According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the doses are being sent in a direct arrangement with Jordan, rather than through the international Covax program

500,000 doses of Pfizer will begin to be shipped to Jordan from the United States

US sends half million Covid vaccines to Jordan

A Ukrainian helicopter crashed in the southern Mykolaiv region of the country on Saturday, killing both crew members, said an official statement.

The Mi-2 type helicopter crashed and caught fire near the village of Zaive in the southern Mykolaiv region, 435 kilometers (270 miles) south of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, the Emergencies Service said in the statement.
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the incident, it added.

Mi-2 type helicopter crashed in southern Mykolaiv region, says Emergencies Service

Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the incident

2 killed in Ukrainian helicopter crash

Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit flood-ravaged western Germany on Sunday, where the worst rainfall in living memory has caused huge destruction and left more than 130 people dead, regional officials said.

Merkel will travel to the hard-hit town of Schuld in Rhineland-Palatinate state, a spokeswoman for the regional interior ministry told AFP on Saturday, confirming earlier media reports. 
The visit is set to take place in the afternoon, the spokeswoman said.
Merkel has called the flooding a national "tragedy" and promised support from the federal government to help the affected areas rebuild and recover.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier toured the town of Erftstadt in the western state of North-Rhine Westphalia on Saturday, to survey the damage from a massive landslide caused by the extreme weather.
The main candidates in the race to succeed Merkel at September's general election have all travelled to the stricken areas in recent days.
Merkel's visit has been delayed because she only returned on Friday from a high-profile trip to Washington, her last official visit as chancellor.
Speaking alongside US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday, Merkel said her "heart goes out to all of those who in this catastrophe lost their loved ones".

Chancellor has called the flooding a national "tragedy" and promised support from the federal government to help the affected areas rebuild and recover

Merkel to visit flood-ravaged western Germany on Sunday

Greece on Saturday imposed a five-hour night curfew and other restrictions on the popular travel island of Mykonos because of a "worrying" spike in local Covid-19 infections, officials said.

The measures include a curfew from 1:00 am to 6:00 am and a ban on bars, clubs and restaurants from playing music, and are effective immediately until July 26, deputy civil protection minister Nikos Hardalias said in a statement.
-We call on the residents, visitors and business owners of our beautiful island to follow the measures faithfully...so that the spread of the virus can be swiftly checked and Mykonos can return to normal- Hardalias said.
One of Greece's top travel destinations, Mykonos draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually -- including a steady stream of celebrities -- to its picturesque beaches and vibrant nightlife.
But Greek authorities have been lately alarmed by the number of clandestine parties held in the island's numerous villas.
Hardalias on July 15 had warned that active cases on Mykonos had quadrupled to over 300 in just a week.
On Saturday he said organisers of private gatherings of over 20 people risk fines of up to 200,000 euros ($236,000).
Greece is experiencing a steady climb in Covid-19 infections in recent days, largely blamed on the more contagious Delta variant.
Nearly 2,700 new cases were announced nationwide on Friday, compared to fewer than 400 three weeks prior.

The measures will be effective until July 26

A woman wearing a protective face mask reacts as a wave crashes on a pier in Little Venice on the island of Mykonos, Greece, August 22, 2020.

Covid curfew, music ban on party island Mykonos

Three men died in the French southern city of Marseille on Saturday when a fire broke out in a public housing building where they were squatting, officials said.

A two-year-old and an adult were also seriously wounded in the fire at the building, where migrants from Nigeria are known to squat, a judicial source said, adding that the three men who died were undocumented migrants.
The cause of the fire, which started in the technical ducts, has not yet been established, police chief Frederique Camilleri told AFP.
-There is a notorious (drug) dealing point here and there are tensions between the residents and the traffickers- she said. 
Authorities were working to house the survivors.
The building owner, 13 Habitat which manages a chain of public housing in the region, said that the building was on a list to eventually be demolished. 
-If the cause of the fire has yet to be determined... what is clear is that the unlivable situation of the squatters here and elsewhere in Marseille's public housing blocs creates a dangerous situation and serious risks" for everyone- said Samia Ghali, Marseille deputy mayor.
Marseille politicians faced accusations of ignoring warnings about unsafe housing in 2018, when eight people were killed when two buildings suddenly collapsed in the centre of the port city.

A two-year-old and an adult were also seriously wounded in the fire at the building

Firefighters of the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion (Marins-Pompiers de Marseille) stand near buildings after three people perished in a fire in a building partly squatted, in 'Les Flamants', a deprived district of Marseille, southern France

Three migrants die in fire in France's Marseille

Over 3.61 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered worldwide, according to figures on Saturday on Our World in Data, a tracking website affiliated with Oxford University.

China leads the global count with over 1.44 billion jabs, followed by India with 399.7 million.
The list continued with mostly Western countries, with the US having administered 336.60 million shots, Brazil 121.80 million, Germany 85.62 million, the UK 81.70 million, Japan 66.71 million, and France 63.17 million.
Turkey ranked ninth on the list with over 62.57 million doses, followed by Italy, Indonesia and Mexico.
The country with the most doses administered by population is the United Arab Emirates, with 164.44 doses per 100 people.
Following the UAE are the island nations of Malta with 162.71 doses per 100 people and Seychelles with 141.98, Iceland 136.68, San Marino 132.74, Bahrain 131.07, Uruguay 129.71, Chile 126.85, Israel 126.70, Qatar 121.40, Faroe Islands 120.42, the UK 120.35, Mongolia 119.36, and Canada 187.51.
Most COVID-19 vaccines are administered in two doses, so the number of shots given is not the same as the number of individuals fully vaccinated.
Since December 2019, the pandemic has claimed over 4 million lives across the world, with nearly 200 million cases reported worldwide, according to the US’ Johns Hopkins University.

The country with the most doses administered by population is the United Arab Emirates, with 164.44 doses per 100 people

China leads the global count with over 1.44 billion jabs, followed by India with 399.7 million

More than 3.61B coronavirus vaccine shots administered worldwide

Djibouti received more coronavirus vaccines on Saturday as the small nation of Horn of Africa continues its vaccination campaign.

Health minister Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh received the first batch of 151,200 doses of Johnson&amp;Johnson vaccines at Djibouti International Airport.
US Ambassador to Djibouti Jonathan Pratt and several international partners attended the handover ceremony.
-Very quickly, we are going to put these vaccines at the disposal of the Djiboutian population to strengthen and intensify the COVID-19 vaccination campaign which is underway- Abdilleh said.
He thanked the US government for the acquisition of vaccines through COVAX, a global vaccine sharing facility.
In March, Djibouti received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines made by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac.
Bordering Somalia in the south and the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in the east, Djibouti has so far recorded 11,622 coronavirus cases, 155 deaths while 11,457 people recovered from the disease.
Nearly 26,800 doses have been given in the country and 8,810 people, or 0.9% of the population, have been fully vaccinated.
Djibouti launched a COVID-19 vaccination campaign on March 15 and President Ismail Omar Guelleh late June issued a decree announcing that it is a must to vaccinate the country's adult population and its foreign residents against the coronavirus.

So far they have recorded 11,622 coronavirus cases and 155 deaths

Nearly 26,800 doses have been given in the country and 8,810 people, or 0.9% of the population, have been fully vaccinated

Djibouti receives more COVID-19 jabs as vaccination drive underway

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said Friday he expects China to support the next phase of the scientific process to identify the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus, after the first part was criticized. 
Tedros Ghebreyesus addressed representatives of the health organization's member states on the origins of the virus that has wreaked havoc worldwide since early in 2020, killing millions and shutting down economies.
-Finding where this virus came from is essential not just for understanding how the pandemic started and preventing future outbreaks, but it's also important as an obligation to the families of the 4 million people who have lost someone they love, and the millions who have suffered- said Tedros.
-We expect China to support this next phase of the scientific process by sharing all relevant data in a spirit of transparency.-He said the WHO expects all member states to support the scientific process "by refraining from politicizing it."
At the end of March, a WHO-led international scientific team delivered its report following a mission to China in January, in line with the World Health Assembly for a probe into the virus, said Tedros.
But some countries, including the US, were not satisfied with the report, and on May 26, US Health Minister Xavier Becerra called for a second phase study into the origins of the virus.
-Phase 2 of the COVID origins study must be launched with terms of reference that are transparent, science-based, and give international experts the independence to fully assess the source of the virus and the early days of the outbreak- said Becerra.
Tedros said Friday that the WHO knows that SARS-CoV-2 will not be the last new pathogen with pandemic potential.
-There will be more, and we will need to understand the origins of those pathogens too- he said.
Tedros said it is the view of the WHO that the world needs a more stable and predictable framework for studying the origins of new pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential.
-Accordingly, I am pleased to announce that the Secretariat is establishing a permanent International Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens, or SAGO- he said.

Tedros Ghebreyesus says finding origins vital for averting new outbreaks, for families of 4 million who were killed

WHO chief expects China to support next phase of probe into cause of pandemic

At least 133 people have so far been killed in floods in western Germany, officials confirmed Saturday.

More than 90 people lost their lives in the hard-hit Ahrweiler district of the Rhineland-Palatinate state, the Koblenz Police Department said in a statement. The death toll is feared to rise.
It also reported 618 injuries due to floods.
In the neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia state, officials have confirmed 43 deaths.
Germany's worst floods in more than 200 years have swept away homes, caused widespread devastation in various towns and villages in the western regions.
The police statement also added that there was still no electricity in many places in the region and telephone lines were not working while streets remain closed.
The Turkish-Islamic Union of Religious Affairs (DITIB) launched a donation campaign for those affected by the flood disaster.

Meanwhile, the flooding has killed at least 27 people in Belgium thus far, according to local media.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, however, put the official death toll at 20 on Friday and said 19 individuals were missing, describing the situation as "the biggest disaster our country has ever seen."
The country will observe a "day of national mourning" on Tuesday.
The heavy rains stopped as of Friday in most of the eastern part of the country affected by the flooding.
While flooding and overflow risk still prevails for some rivers, municipalities started to examine the areas where water has receded.
Around 120 municipalities affected by the floods still have difficulty in reaching many people who are stranded in their homes.

Belgium to hold ‘day of national mourning’ on Tuesday as dozens of people die due to floods

A view of devastated area after a severe rainstorm and flash floods hit western states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, on July 16, 2021, in Ahrweiler and Sinzig districts of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Death toll from floods in Germany rises to 133

Belgium's crisis centre urged people in the south and east of the country to avoid all travel on Friday as the death toll from swollen and burst rivers and flash floods rose to 14.

A week of rain finally came to an end, but several communities across parts of Belgium were nervously watching as the river Meuse, which flows through the city of Liege in eastern Belgium, continued to rise and threatened to overflow.
In the town of Maaseik, on the Dutch border, the Meuse had risen beyond a retaining wall and was spilling past bags placed on top.
Several towns and villages were already submerged, including Pepinster near Liege, where around 10 houses partially or fully collapsed. Belgian media put the death toll at least 14 people, with a further four missing.

The crisis centre, which is coordinating rescue efforts together with regional authorities, said many roads were blocked or dangerous.

It said France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria and Italy had provided assistance and personnel, including rescuers, boats, helicopters and all-terrain vehicles.
More than 20,000 people in the southern region Wallonia were without electricity. Others lacked clean water. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from low-lying areas.
Large parts of the rail network in southern Belgium were unusable, with certain sections of track swept away. High-speed train services to Germany were also suspended, with disruption expected to continue into Saturday.

Several towns and villages were already submerged, including Pepinster near Liege, where around 10 houses partially or fully collapsed

A damaged vehicle is seen next to the river, following heavy rainfalls, in Pepinster, Belgium, July 16, 2021.

Belgium warns against travel as flood death toll hits 14

The highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 accounts for 30% of new cases recorded in Senegal, the director of the Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training (IRESSEF) said Thursday. 

Amid the third wave of the pandemic, the Alpha variant has disappeared to make way for the predominant Delta variant, which "constitutes 30% of new infections," Souleymane Mboup said at a meeting of the National Epidemic Management Committee (CNGE) relayed by the local press.
According to Mboup, one third of new infections is due to this variant amid a rapid spread of the virus and increase in the number of cases.
Senegal registered 674 new cases Thursday after reporting a new daily record of 733 infections Wednesday.
The country is experiencing a significant rise in COVID infections, according to Health Minister Abdoulaye Sarr.
-For the past five weeks, we have been recording a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. The figures for the last few days show that the virus is [rapidly] circulating- he said, speaking at the CNGE meeting.
The country has registered a total of 48,270 cases, including 1,209 deaths, since the beginning of the pandemic in the country.
In response, the authorities are continuing a vaccination campaign, with 595,850 people out of a population of more than 17 million inoculated.
However, "all the measures that have been taken so far must be reinforced because we have a much more contagious virus," Mboup said.

1,209 COVID deaths have been reported since beginning of crisis

Senegal registered 674 new cases Thursday after reporting a new daily record of 733 infections Wednesday

Senegal seeing significant rise in Delta variant cases

The number of people who died in floods in western Germany rose to 103 on Friday, officials confirmed.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, at least 60 people have died due to severe flooding, the region’s premier Malu Dreyer told a Cabinet meeting, public broadcaster ARD has reported.
In the neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia region, officials have confirmed 43 deaths.
Germany's worst floods in more than 200 years have swept away homes, caused widespread devastation in various towns and villages in the western regions.
Local officials said nearly 1,300 people were still missing in the Ahrweiler district, but the exact figure was not clear, as the floods have cut electricity and disrupted telephone communications.
The army has deployed around 850 soldiers to the hard-hit areas to assist in rescue efforts.
Many homes in the two states have collapsed and others face the risk of collapsing due to the floods, while streets are submerged.

The extent of the damage and overall situation in flood-stricken areas remains unclear as rescue workers had to cope with torrential rains that dumped 148 liters (39 gallons) per square meter in 48 hours.

Helicopters were used to rescue residents stranded on streets, in trees and on rooftops.
Villages and small towns in the western and southwestern areas of the country were cut off by floodwater and landslides that made roads impassable.
Authorities in Rhineland-Palatinate warned that they expected waters in the Rhine and Moselle rivers to swell with additional rainfall.
There have also been massive power outages as more than 200,000 households are without electricity.
Meanwhile, public transportation has been severely affected by the catastrophic situation as train and bus services have been canceled or disrupted.

Nearly 1,300 people still missing in Ahrweiler district, according to local officials

Germany's worst floods in more than 200 years have swept away homes, caused widespread devastation in various towns and villages in the western regions

Death toll from floods in Germany rises to 103

Zimbabwe registered a record 86 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, the most in a single day since the beginning of the pandemic.

With 2,491 new cases, the overall caseload reached 78,872 cases, and 2,418 related deaths, the Health Ministry said.
The Southern African country was hit by a second wave between January and March, and the third wave is currently underway.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended a nationwide lockdown by another 14 days on Tuesday, further delaying the re-opening of schools due to be open on June 28. On June 29, he introduced the lockdown measures that included a nighttime curfew and curbs on inter-city travel.
In a televised address, he said Zimbabwe aimed to vaccinate one million people during the lockdown extension.
In a tweet on Friday, the president said a million Zimbabweans have now received their first COVID-19 jab. "Thank you to all the doctors, nurses and health officials who have made this possible. You are true Zimbabwean heroes," he wrote.

Faced with rising infections and deaths, president extended nationwide lockdown restrictions on Tuesday

The Southern African country was hit by a second wave between January and March, and the third wave is currently underway

Zimbabwe confirms record daily COVID-19 deaths

The emblematic monument of the Paris skyline, Eiffel Tower, reopened its doors to visitors on Friday, eight months after it was shut down due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

-That's it ! After more than 8 months of closure I finally reopen my doors. It's so great to see you again- its official account tweeted.
Visitors can now once again reach the summit of the monument at 300 meters (985 feet), either by the staircase or lifts.
The site will be open seven days a week, all day from 9.30 AM to 10.30 PM. Entry will be capped at 10,000 visitors per day, same as last year, as against 25,000 prior to March 2020 before the COVID-19 restrictions came into force.
Starting July 21, the government-mandated health pass proving one is vaccinated or has a negative COVID-19 test carried less than 48 hours ago, will be mandatory for all visitors aged 18 and above. Face masks will also be compulsory as per the current health measures.
Last year, lockdown restrictions by the French government on public places forced the busiest tourist site of the world to shut down from March 13 to June 25, and then again from Oct. 30 until now. This is the longest period that the landmark has been shut since World War II.

Emblematic monument was closed due to COVID-19 lockdown since October last year

The site will be open seven days a week, all day from 9.30 AM to 10.30 PM

Eiffel Tower in Paris reopens for visitors

The Court of B&amp;H rejected the proposal of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H to order one-month custody for the arrested Osman Mehmedagić Osmica, the director of the Intelligence and Security Agency (ISA) of B&amp;H.
Mehmedagić was not banned from performing the duties of the director of ISA.
He left the Detention Unit of the Court of B&amp;H a few minutes ago. ISA officer Muhamed Pekić came to pick him up by car.
Custody was requested for fear that the suspect would repeat the crime, influence witnesses and conceal evidence, and that release could lead to public harassment.
We remind you that the director of the ISA was arrested the day before yesterday, according to the order of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H, by members of the SC MUP. As officially announced by the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H, Mehmedagić is charged with criminal offenses of abuse of position or authority, forgery of documents and money laundering.
The court banned Mehmedagić from contacting all witnesses and all suspects, including the owner of the American University, Denis Prcić, who was also released yesterday to defend himself from freedom.

Sydney tightens lockdown amid 'stubborn' outbreak

US sends half million Covid vaccines to Jordan

2 killed in Ukrainian helicopter crash

Merkel to visit flood-ravaged western Germany on Sunday

Covid curfew, music ban on party island Mykonos

Three migrants die in fire in France's Marseille

More than 3.61B coronavirus vaccine shots administered worldwide

Djibouti receives more COVID-19 jabs as vaccination drive underway

WHO chief expects China to support next phase of probe into cause of pandemic

Death toll from floods in Germany rises to 133

Belgium warns against travel as flood death toll hits 14

Senegal seeing significant rise in Delta variant cases

Death toll from floods in Germany rises to 103

Zimbabwe confirms record daily COVID-19 deaths

Eiffel Tower in Paris reopens for visitors

Osman Mehmedagić is not allowed to communicate with the suspect Prcić and all witnesses

News

Sydney tightens lockdown amid 'stubborn' outbreak

US sends half million Covid vaccines to Jordan

2 killed in Ukrainian helicopter crash

Merkel to visit flood-ravaged western Germany on Sunday

Covid curfew, music ban on party island Mykonos

Three migrants die in fire in France's Marseille

More than 3.61B coronavirus vaccine shots administered worldwide

Djibouti receives more COVID-19 jabs as vaccination drive underway

WHO chief expects China to support next phase of probe into cause of pandemic

Death toll from floods in Germany rises to 133

Belgium warns against travel as flood death toll hits 14

Senegal seeing significant rise in Delta variant cases

Death toll from floods in Germany rises to 103

Zimbabwe confirms record daily COVID-19 deaths

Eiffel Tower in Paris reopens for visitors

Osman Mehmedagić is not allowed to communicate with the suspect Prcić and all witnesses