2h ago 09:34 Hello, and welcome to our continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. This is Helen Davidson in Sydney here, to take you through the next few hours. Thanks to my colleagues in London - you can catch up on all their coverage on the previous blog here.
First up, a summary of where we’re at:
The Australian state of New South Wales has ramped up its own travel restrictions and is forcing residents returning from coronavirus-hit Victoria into two weeks of hotel quarantine.
Entry to NSW from Victoria is now restricted to flights landing at Sydney Airport, except for border community residents with permits.
Boris Johnson has insisted the nation has “a moral duty” to reopen schools next month, amid indications he would force pubs, restaurants and shops to close ahead of schools in the event of severe coronavirus flare-ups. The prime minister is understood to favour only closing schools as the last resort after scientific advisers warned more restrictions may be needed to reopen classrooms in England next month.
Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would extend enhanced coronavirus unemployment benefits and employment taxes into next year with executive orders, but cut the level of some of the support. Speaking at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump said he was taking action .. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/08/trump-signs-orders-for-coronavirus-relief-with-lower-level-of-extra-aid-for-jobless .. after Congress had failed to agree a deal, blaming “far left” Democrat demands in a campaign-style speech.
Belgian police have made several arrests after a brawl broke out on a beach between officers and young people they had told to leave for refusing to respect virus safety measures. The clashes took place at the resort of Blankenberge, which is about 15km north of Bruges. A group of young people became violent after police told them to leave the beach, the daily Het Laatste Niewus reported.
Cuba has placed Havana back on a strict lockdown following a rebound in coronavirus cases, ordering restaurants, bars and pools once more to close, suspending public transportation and banning access to the beach. Cuba, which has been hailed as a rare success story in Latin America for its textbook handling and containment of its coronavirus outbreak, had eased lockdown restrictions last month after cases dwindled to but a handful per day.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the streets near the official residence of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in central Jerusalem. Throughout the summer, thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets, calling for Netanyahu to resign, protesting his handling of the country’s coronavirus crisis and saying he should not remain in office while on trial for corruption charges.
Meat giant, Danish Crown announced Saturday it had closed a large slaughterhouse in Denmark after nearly 150 employees tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The abattoir in Ringsted, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the capital Copenhagen, employs nearly 900 people and slaughters tens of thousands of pigs every week.
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
