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.

20,000 paramedics, ambulance drivers and support staff have gone on strike in England and Wales as a standoff over pay deepens. Unions are calling for better wages to deal with double-digit inflation. PM Rishi Sunak, meanwhile, is defending his government's plans to enforce minimum service levels in certain sectors, even during union-led walkouts.

South Africa's energy crisis could land the government in court, as opposition groups and trade unions threaten to sue over a decade of crippling blackouts. Also, as the World Economic Forum kicks off in Davos, the head of the International Finance Corporation tells FRANCE 24 that now is the time to ramp up private investment as Africa braces for a global slowdown.

South Africa's energy crisis could land the government in court, as opposition groups and trade unions threaten to sue over a decade of crippling blackouts.

It's an urban planning concept aimed at reducing emissions and travel distances. But some fear it will limit movement, lead to lockdowns or increase surveillance.