Taj Mahal reopens to tourists as India eases Covid-19 restrictions

South Africa has eased rules on travel to the country, where the omicron variant was first identified in November. Meanwhile, China's most-populous city, Shanghai, reports record COVID-19 cases.

At the start of April, Germany lifted most of its COVID restrictions. Entertainment and hospitality venues are banking on an upswing after two years of the pandemic, which saw earnings in the sector slump by 40%.

The Biden administration has announced the easing of curbs imposed by Donald Trump on travel to Cuba and on remittances that immigrants can send to people on the island.

From June 1 and for the following three months, those entering Germany will not have to proof of vaccination, a negative test result or demonstrate a recent recovery from the coronavirus.

According to the German authorities, all persons are now permitted entry to cafes, bars, restaurants, museums, theatres, shopping centres, as well as other public places and large events without being required to hold a valid vaccination, recovery, or test certificate.

China is sticking to a zero-Covid strategy to stamp out virus clusters, but harsh lockdowns have battered the economy. The government mouthpiece has called on Beijing to stay the course.

Workers at Foxconn, the largest supplier for Apple's iPhone, were attacked after protesting living conditions. The company is working within a closed-loop system, in line with China's restrictive COVID-19 measures.

Authorities in at least seven districts in Guangzhou announced lifting temporary lockdowns. State media also cited a top official as saying the virus was weakening.

As widespread protests break out across China, we take a closer look at the impact of the zero-Covid policy on workers, businesses and the economy, by speaking to Professor Chang-Tai Hsieh of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

China has said it will allow COVID patients with mild symptoms to isolate at home, it has also reduced the scope of lockdowns where cases are noticed and made regional travel easier. This follows widespread protests.

The Security Council has called for the "full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan," after the Taliban barred women from working in NGOs and attending universities.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of travelers flew in and out of China without having to submit to stringent centralised quarantine requirements. The change in policy is raising hope in neighboring countries that this will signal the return of Chinese tourists. Holiday bookings have already increased and markets are trading higher on the news, but as we explain, it will take some time for travel to return to what it was before the pandemic.