Police and protesters have clashed at demonstrations in central London against lockdown restrictions, with at least three people arrested.
Police have been attempting to disperse the protesters, arguing the demonstration is unlawful under bans on gatherings because of coronavirus.
One protester told Sky News they were demonstrating because they believed there was “no future for our children” as a result of lockdown restrictions. Others described the measures as “fascist”.
Police faced booing from demonstrators and chants of “shame on you”, and some officers were pelted with bottles, as they intervened in the protest.
Traffic was temporarily blocked on Regent Street as officers attempted to handcuff people on the ground in the middle of the road.
Updated
at 9.04am EST
People eager to get a haircut have been queuing outside barber shops in Paris as France partially reopened after a month-long lockdown.
Department stores selling gifts and Christmas decorations have also been busy today after shops selling non-essential goods such as shoes, clothes and toys reopened in the first easing of a nationwide lockdown that started on 30 October and will remain in place until 15 December. Bars and restaurants remain closed until 20 January.
“Today we have people who had been waiting for weeks while others are coming now so they can look good for Christmas, as one never know what happens next,” Remi Thor, a barber in central Paris, told Reuters.
A barber at J-Coiffeur in western Paris said that despite his online reservation system, people were showing up anyway without booking and were queuing up outside.
“Under current rules, they cannot wait inside,” he said.
Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said on FranceInfo Radio that the mayor, Anne Hidalgo, would hold talks with retail organisations about allowing them to open on Sundays to catch up on lost sales. “2020 will be a catastrophic year for everyone, but in order to limit the damage, December will be crucial,” he said.
The government has already allowed shops to open till 9pm so they could receive more customers despite limits on numbers in stores.
Updated
at 9.05am EST
Moscow’s biggest outdoor rink has opened for winter, with residents taking to the ice late on Friday.
On Saturday, officials in Russia said 510 people had died in the last 24 hours across the country from coronavirus.
However, people out skating said they felt safe as they had worn masks and gloves in the indoor part of the rink, while their temperatures were measured upon arrival. Most people were not wearing masks on the rink itself, which in total measures over 20,000 square metres Reuters reported.
“We went through all the changing rooms in masks. It’s not scary at all,” said resident Olga Glazunova.
“It’s really good to be skating. You can feel the coming winter and New Year,” said Svetlana Makarova.
Others like Mikhail Merzlyakov said they couldn’t resist taking to the ice. “It’s scary, but we wanted to skate,” he said.
Updated
at 9.07am EST
The Metropolitan police has warned people against joining a mass anti-lockdown protest due to take place on Saturday in central London, saying that such gathering sare banned under current coronavirus legislation.
A Met statement said: “Protest is not currently a permitted exemption to the prohibition on gatherings under the current coronavirus regulations.
“Strict regulations have been introduced by the government nationally to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. This means that anyone gathering for protest risks enforcement action by officers.”
You can read the full report here:
Updated
at 9.03am EST
Ten months into the pandemic, and with a difficult winter ahead, the Greek government has decided to lower the cost of screening tests for Covid-19. For most, the move, announced last night, is not a moment too soon.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted at private clinics are the fastest way of being tested and have price tags of up to €95 (£85) although most hover around €75. Announcing the decision, Panagiotis Stampoulidis, secretary general of trade and consumer protection at the Ministry of Development, said PCR tests would be set at a flat fee of €40.
Rapid antigen tests would cost €10 once the decision is tabled in parliament in the coming days.
The move follows the announcement that the lockdown imposed on Greece on 6 November will be extended through to 7 December. Today, health officials said even that sounded optimistic, with a growing consensus that with restrictions failing to reign in infection rates as fast as had been hoped, 14 December may be the date when curbs finally begin to be relaxed before the festive season. Any relaxation will start with schools, the government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Saturday.
Greece broke two benchmarks this week: crossing the milestone of more than 2,000 deaths as a result of Covid-19, and more than 100,000 infections. Although the country has fared comparatively better than other European states, it has experienced a surge in cases since the autumn.
Updated
at 7.57am EST
Avanti West Coast has axed its peak travel restrictions over the festive period, slashing the cost of many journeys.
Passengers travelling on weekdays with off-peak tickets are usually prohibited from boarding trains before around 9.30am or between 3pm and 7pm, but this will not apply from December 18 until the end of the year.
This will mean significant price reductions for travel during periods where off-peak tickets are usually invalid. For example, passengers buying a fully-flexible fare for a trip from Manchester to London during the period will be charged £64.40 instead of £180.
