French businesses welcome easing of lockdown

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces that the country is heading for a three-day lockdown after identifying a single case of locally transmitted Covid-19 suspected to be the Delta variant. New Zealand had not recorded any infections in the community for six months.

New Zealanders say they are "gutted" by the announcement of the government of a snap lockdown. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed New Zealand is dealing with the highly transmissible Delta variant linked to the outbreak in Australia that authorities have so far been unable to contain.

Police in Australia arrested more than 200 as anti-lockdown protests turned violent. The country has seen its biggest spike in COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began.

Going back to live performances is very much on the mind of musicians these days, after months of introspective confinements and home recordings due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Ben Shemie from Suuns tells us more about his band's new album "The Witness", whose instinctive new sound will soon be taken to the stage, first in their native Canada and then on tour in Europe.

Shamim Mwanaisha was bitten by the coding bug while helping her son, a young pilot, with his lessons. She went on to start the Supersonic Aviators club in her home to help children, especially girls, develop their interests in aviation, astronomy, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Mwanaisha has taken the club's activities online to work around Uganda's strict COVID lockdown.

The tightest restrictions will remain in place in the country's largest city, Auckland, however. Meanwhile, a new Vietnamese school year has started with most students still in a virtual classroom. DW has the latest.

The premier of Australia's most populous state New South Wales says "quite confidently" that vaccinated Sydney residents will finally emerge from a lengthy lockdown on October 11.

Elated Sydneysiders defied grey skies and drizzle to celebrate the end of almost four months of lockdown in Australia's largest city, with many embracing a return to cafes and hairdressers. Sydney's more than five million residents have been subjected to a 106-day lockdown, designed to limit the march of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Australia's second-largest city is expected to come out of lockdown despite an increase in infections. Meanwhile, Latvia is diving into a month-long lockdown.

Melbourne reopened Friday after enduring one of the world's most prolonged series of lockdowns, with relieved residents of Australia's second-biggest city heading to bars, restaurants and for much-needed hair cuts.

Poultry farmers have been ordered to keep flocks indoors in a bid to stop the contagious avian disease spreading. Europe has seen over 100 outbreaks of bird flu in recent months.

The 20-month US entry ban due to COVID-19 is finally a thing of the past. German companies are happy to return to business as usual.