France's lockdown ease, Denmark mink farmers march: COVID-19 bulletin

TOP HEADLINES

• Portugal is to ban domestic travel and close schools between twoupcoming holidays in a bid to slow the spread of the virus ahead oftheChristmas period, the country's Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.

• Hundreds of Denmark's mink farmers took to the streets of Copenhagen to protestagainst thegovernment's decision to cull millions of the nation's herd to halt thespread of a mutant strain.

• France will begin to ease itslockdownrestrictions in the coming weeks, with PresidentEmmanuel Macron outlining plans on Tuesday,a government spokesperson said.

• England is to enter a strengthened three-tiered system of localrestrictions when the country exits its nationallockdown on December 2.

• **Leaders of the 20 biggesteconomies in the world are to pledge a fairdistribution of vaccines, drugs and tests **around the world at the G20 summit on Sunday.

• Greece's government spokesman admitted that lifting the country's lockdown on December 1 "does not seem realistic right now," after deaths rose by a record 108 on Saturday.

• **Hundreds of people have been offered rapid tests in the Welsh town ofMerthyr Tydfil **as part of a pilot scheme of mass testing.

• UK's business minister Lucy Powell has called for the implementation of aroute map to allow the UK to plan through 2021.

• **Italy has registered a further 34,767 new infections in the past 24 hours **while fatalities also rose by 692 bringing the cumulative death toll to 49,261.

• Russia's new infections rose by 24,581 in the past 24 hours , as the national tally risesabove 2.08 million.

Hundreds of Denmark's mink farmers took to the streets of Copenhagen to protest against the government's decision to cull the nation's entire mink herd. /AP

ACROSS EUROPE

Nawied Jabarkhyl in London

The UK's cabinet will meet on Sunday to discuss new tougher restrictions for local areas next month. England remains in lockdown until December 2 and prime minister Boris Johnson is set to update parliament on Monday on a plan that could see most of the country return to a three-tiered system to control the virus once it ends.

Some of the measures will be even tougher than they were before the current lockdown but the idea is that in return, families may be able to spend several days together over Christmas and the holiday period.

Meanwhile, finance minister Rishi Sunak has warned of a "significant economic shock" for the UK as he prepares to unveil his latest plans to save the British economy. Public borrowing hit record highs last month and Sunak is expected to announce major tax rises and spending cuts next week, although the national health service is in line for a $4 billion boost in funding.

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WHY COVID-19'S MAKING SO MANY OF US WANT TO MOVE TO THE COUNTRY

Rahul Pathak in Madrid

This Sunday El Rastro, Madrid's world famous flea market will reopen for the first time since March 15 when Spain first went into lockdown.

The 400 year old market which only trades on Sunday was inactive for 37 consecutive weekends.It also has had to bring in certain changes to make it COVID-19 safe.

It will operate at 50 percent occupancy, allowing for 500 of the licensed 900 vendors to operate on a bi-monthly rotating basis to give everyone a chance to trade.

All stalls will also be separated by a meter and a half along the entire length of the market's 31,000 square meters to ensure social distancing.

Leaders of the world's 20 biggest economies are to pledge for a fair distribution of vaccines during the second day of the virtual G20 summit on Sunday. /AP

France

France will begin to ease its lockdown restrictions in the coming weeks, a government spokesperson said on Sunday.

President Emmanuel Macron is expected to give a speech to the nation on Tuesday, and may announce a partial relaxation of restrictions which have been in place since October 30.

"Emmanuel Macron will give prospects over several weeks, especially on how we adjust our strategy. What is at stake is adapting lockdown rules as the health situation improves while avoiding a new flare up in the epidemic," government spokesperson,Gabriel Attalsaid.

Under the current restrictions, allnon-essential shops, restaurants and bars are closed.

But as the nationwide infection ratecontinuesto slow, pressure is growing on the government toallow them to re-open.

"We had committed to allow them (shopkeepers) to reopen around Dec. 1 if the health situation improved, which seems to be the case," Attal said. Bars and restaurants however "will continue to experience restrictions," he added.

France will begin to ease its lockdown restrictions in the coming weeks, according to a government spokesperson. /AP

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