WORLD

Germany is considering an extension of lockdown restrictions into April and the introduction of new rules for those returning from abroad after Covid-19 infections rose beyond a key level that may prompt action by authorities to prevent the health system becoming overrun.

Draft plans, seen by Bloomberg, include mandatory quarantine and coronavirus tests for all people returning from a trip to another country, independently of infection rates at their travel destination. They will be discussed by Chancellor Angela Merkel and regional leaders when they meet on Monday.

The national seven-day rate of cases per 100,000 people has risen to 103.9, German health agency Robert Koch Institute said on its website Sunday, taking the rate to the highest since Jan. 26. Separate data from Johns Hopkins University showed cases in the country increased by 24,034 in the 24 hours to Sunday, compared with 10,568 recorded a week earlier.

In the first visit by a top Biden administration official, US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin arrived in India on Friday on a three-day visit, aimed at further boosting bilateral defence and security ties in the wake of China's growing military assertiveness in the region including in the Indo-Pacific.

India is the third stop for Austin during his three-nation first overseas tour as the Defence Secretary, and the visit is seen as a reflection of the Joe Biden administration's strong commitment to its relations with its close allies and partners in the region. The US defence secretary visited Japan and South Korea before India.

The US official was received at the Palam airport by senior Indian military officials and diplomats from the American embassy.

The benefits of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh any risks and countries across Europe should continue to use it to help save lives, the World Health Organization’s European director said on Thursday.

Hans Kluge noted that Europe’s medicines regulators are investigating a small number of cases of blood clots in the region that have prompted around a dozen EU governments to suspend us of the AstraZeneca shot.

“As of now, we do not know whether some or all of the conditions have been caused by the vaccine or by other coincidental factors,” he said, adding: “At this point in time, however, the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine far outweigh its risks – and its use should continue, to save lives.”

President Joe Biden said he agrees with the assessment that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is a "killer."

In an interview with ABC News broadcast on Wednesday, Biden said Putin would "pay a price" for trying to undermine his candidacy in the US 2020 election as alleged in a new US intelligence report.

Asked if he thought Putin, who is accused of being ruthless with his opponents, is "a killer," Biden said, "I do."

The statement marked a stark contrast with predecessor Donald Trump's steadfast refusal to say anything negative about the Russian president.

The Chinese embassy has said it will start issuing visas to travellers who have taken a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine and possess the certificates of vaccination.

In a statement, the embassy said it will facilitate measures for people wanting to travel to China to carry on their employment contracts, resume work and do other relevant activities.

“For the purpose of resuming people-to-people exchanges in an orderly manner, starting from March 15, the Chinese embassy and consulates in India will provide the persons having taken Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine and holding the certificates of vaccination with the following facilitating measures,” it said listing certain points.