Cyberattacks on the rise in the wake of Covid-19

ZooTampa in Florida vaccinates a skunk with a specific vaccine developed exclusively for animals. The zoo in Tampa has begun to vaccinate animals who have been identified as most susceptible to Covid-19. The use of the special vaccine, which was developed exclusively for animals by the Michigan-based veterinary pharmaceutical company Zoetis, has been used for vaccinating those species that are known to be more vulnerable to contracting the virus in other zoological organizations throughout the United States. ZooTampa says it has received a shipment of approximately 220 doses – enough to vaccinate roughly 19 species which includes 93 animals such as Florida panthers, skunks, otters and primates.

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) has started hosting its five-day dance music festival after the Dutch government lifted restrictions on the entertainment sector, as well as clubs and bars. The event has been scaled down compared to previous years, while measures are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19, including on-site testing.

The Saudi government has lifted social distancing measures, allowing full-capacity attendance at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Follow DW for the latest.

Moscow subway users have started buying tickets using facial recognition technology. Authorities claim queues at ticket counters will be greatly shortened with the system dubbed "Face Pay". This move, however, is already sparking controversy since facial recognition has been used in the past for repressive purposes. In this edition, we explore these technologies that are being deployed in smart cities around the world and whether this means the end of anonymity in public places.

Amnesty said that many governments had used the pandemic as an opportunity to further restrict freedom of expression. It also cited the role of social media in the spread of misinformation.

A robotic dog stole the limelight at the Milipol defence and security trade fair near Paris on Tuesday. The 22nd edition of Milipol Paris takes place from Oct. 19 to 22 and plays host to dozens of countries, including Israel, United States and Switzerland. The robotic dog costs "under $1 million", according to Ghost Robotics special projects head Tom Jacobs. He adds that the technology that has advanced in the past few years has enabled the robot dog to keep its balance in difficult terrain

Ugandan schoolchildren have been unable to attend school due to the government's COVID-19 safety restrictions. But luckily for some, a neighborhood mother passionate about IT and coding gives lessons off a porch.

Russian President Vladimir Putin orders a nationwide week-long paid holiday starting on October 30 to curb Covid infections amid record coronavirus deaths.

Images of 'TRUTH Social', a social network the former US president Donald Trump says he plans to launch. It's the latest push to reclaim his online influence after he was banned from Twitter and Facebook in the wake of the violent Capitol insurrection.

Romania is getting crushed by one of the worst coronavirus waves in Europe. Vaccine skepticism and inaction on the part of the president, the administration and authorities are largely to blame.

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.

BioNTech and Pfizer and said their vaccine is highly effective among children in the 5-11-year age group. Follow DW for the latest.