no comment Cellist Camille Thomas fills empty Louvre with classical music Empty of its usual visitors, the Louvre's gallery spaces were filled with the strains of Bach in a performance by cellist Camille Thomas who went viral in France's first lockdown. 27/02/2021
USA Joe Biden's €1.5 trillion COVID relief bill passes House vote hurdle The vote is seen as a crucial victory for President Biden but is likely to run into trouble in the Senate over proposals for a $15 minimum wage. 27/02/2021
Czech Republic Czech Republic imposes tightest restrictions yet amid COVID surge More than 1,500 COVID-19 patients are occupying intensive care beds, the highest number yet recorded by the Czech healthcare system. 27/02/2021
Europe Some EU member states relinquished COVID vaccines last year: Macron EU member states agreed to redistribute COVID vaccines among themselves and many member states took extra vaccine doses that were not wanted by others. 26/02/2021
Netherlands Victory for Dutch government over legal challenge to COVID curfew Court found government was entitled to use an emergency law to introduce the measures forcing residents indoors from 9 pm to 4:30 am 26/02/2021
France Paris 'will propose' a three-week city lockdown to curb COVID-19 spike The announcement comes as the French capital was placed under increased surveillance due to deteriorating coronavirus indicators, along with more than a dozen other French regions. 25/02/2021
Spain Spain's vaccination programme picks up speed as second phase kicks in The authorities expect to have 70% of the population vaccinated by the end of the summer 25/02/2021
United Kingdom PPE is the new plastic waste nightmare threatening the environment Plastic bags have been overtaken by face masks as one of the most common pieces of plastic waste. In fact, 102 million are thrown every week in the UK alone. 25/02/2021
Travel News Quarantine hotels: Which countries are using them to stop arrivals spreading COVID? 24/02/2021