Five artists go into self-quarantine as part of theatre festival in Austria

In Ivory Coast, painters, photographers, designers and sculptors are choosing to settle in the city of Grand-Bassam, away from the urban chaos and air pollution of Abidjan. The historic UNESCO World Heritage city, located an hour from the economic capital, is attracting more and more designers in search of a more serene and affordable lifestyle. As the once-popular artisanal village of Grand-Bassam grapples with a drop in tourism, a new generation of artists from diverse backgrounds is reclaiming this historic cultural centre and breathing new life into it. Our correspondents report.

Starting Monday, Austria will ban unvaccinated patrons from entering cafes, restaurants and large events. Meanwhile, Australia has met its 80% vaccination target. DW has the latest.

Former chancellor Sebastian Kurz is facing allegations that he used state money to pay for flattering polls to boost his image. Kurz has denied any wrongdoing.

The lockdown starting Monday is expected to last 10 days and a vaccine mandate is set to start in February. Data shows the seven-day incidence rate in the country at around 1,000 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

For Mariusca La Slameuse and Spirita Nanda, fashion and music go hand in hand. The clothes they wear, just like the music they sing, are fundamental elements of their artistry. Both women live and work in Brazzaville, in the Republic of Congo. They're each famous as solo artists, but today they've joined forces to combat violence against children in the context of blended families. FRANCE 24 went to meet them.

Austrians went back into lockdown after fierce protests over the weekend, for a period of at least 10 days and potentially 20. Elswhere, German logged its highest seven-day incidence of the pandemic. DW has the latest.

Austria's ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced he is stepping back from politics. His successor, Alexander Schallenberg, has also announced his resignation.

Kurz will work as a "global strategist" at the California-based venture capitalist firm after resigning amid graft allegations. The former chancellor is under investigation for suspected bribery and breach of trust.

Our first stop in our new show FrancEurope is the Italian capital Rome and the prestigious setting of the Villa Medici. It's home to the Academy of France and each year a select group of contemporary artists receive a fellowship, allowing them to work on their dream project in a uniquely cossetted setting. Our reporters Luke Brown and Xavier Chemisseur were lucky enough to get a sneak peek of what the artists-in-residence have been working on.

The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has brought a "tidal wave" of new cases, according to the WHO. France has seen record numbers of positive cases – as have several other EU states. This week, President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to "piss off" the unvaccinated, limiting their access to certain social spaces like restaurants and cinemas as a means of convincing more of them to get their jabs. Meanwhile, more and more EU member states seem to be moving towards making vaccination mandatory. Austria is set to become the first EU country to make the jabs obligatory, as of February – with the measure valid until 2024.

Austria raises alarm over pandemic's impact on children

Annette Young talks to Louisahhh, a Paris-based American techno artist about the musicians and DJs taking a stand to end a culture of sexual harassment and violence in the industry. Despite being outlawed by the government; female genital mutilation shows no sign of abating in Guinea. We take a look at the battle to end a deeply-rooted tradition. Plus born to be free; the Tunisian female bikers taking to the road to challenge stereotypes in the North African country.