United Kingdom

British travelers returning home from parts of Europe and beyond began quarantine under new restrictions on Aug. 15, while Russia said it had produced the first batch of its controversial coronavirus vaccine.    

Countries among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic unveiled further measures on Aug. 14 to battle rising infections, as the number of cases worldwide passed 21 million.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it was extending a ban on non-essential travel through border crossings with Canada and Mexico throughout most of September "to slow the spread" of the disease.

Turkey has completed discussions with 92 countries for resumption of flights, the country's transportation and infrastructure minister said on Aug. 14.  

Turkey continues to operate scheduled and non-scheduled flights with 48 countries as of Aug. 13, Adil Karaismailoğlu said in a press release.

As part of the plan to reopen Israel's skies, Israelis returning from certain countries will not be required to go into isolation.

A puzzling new outbreak of the coronavirus in New Zealand's largest city grew to 17 cases on Aug. 13, with officials saying the number will likely increase further.

And a lockdown in Auckland designed to extinguish the outbreak could be extended well beyond an initial three days.

The United States on June 17 imposed sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's wife and dozens of others as it vowed a vast pressure campaign under a new law that has already rattled the war-torn nation's economy.

Pandemics such as coronavirus are the result of humanity's destruction of nature, according to leaders at the UN, WHO and WWF International, and the world has been ignoring this stark reality for decades.

Greece reopened to more international flights on Monday as the tourist season formally got under way, with the aim to strike what government spokesman Stelios Petsas described as a delicate balance between an "authentic" travel experience and the safety of visitors.

French couture house Givenchy, owned by luxury goods giant LVMH (LVMH.PA) and known for once dressing Hollywood stars such as Audrey Hepburn, said on June 15 it had named Matthew Williams as its new creative director.

Greece reopened its main airports to more international flights on Monday, hoping to kick-start its vital tourism sector after three months in lockdown.
Tourism employs about 700,000 people and accounts for some 20% of Greece's economic output, so how the sector fares is significant for the country's recovery. Greece emerged from a decade-long debt crisis two years ago.