SADIQ KHAN

From Singapore-on-Thames to City-on-The-Seine.

Three years after the UK left the EU, things may be even worse.

A gunman fired multiple shotgun rounds into a gathered crowd of funeral mourners in what was a potential Colombian drug cartel related drive by shooting.

A drive-by shooting in central London wounded two children and four women, police said Sunday. The Metropolitan Police said officers were called Saturday afternoon to a church in the Euston area where a private memorial service was taking place. Instead, they were the victims of a senseless act of violence,” police superintendent Jack Rowlands said. A 7-year-old girl remained hospitalized Sunday with life-threatening injuries, and a 12-year-old girl sustained a leg injury, the police department said. Jeremy Trood told the BBC he heard a bang and people “sheltered in the church until the police said they can leave.”Shootings in London are uncommon.

British police say two children and four women were injured in a drive-by shooting in central London.

Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, died on Saturday after she was critically injured in the crush at a concert by Afrobeats singer Asake at Brixton Academy, police said.

Rebecca Ikumelo was one of eight people hospitalized after mayhem outside the O2 Brixton Academy, where the Nigerian recording artist was due to perform.

LONDON — (AP) — A woman injured in a crush outside a London concert venue has died, police said Saturday. The Metropolitan Police force said she died on Saturday morning. “My sincerest condolences to her loved ones at this time. The police force said emergency services were called after “a large crowd attempted to gain entry without tickets” and they found people suffering from crush injuries. The Brixton Academy in south London is one of the city’s most famous music venues.

Police say a woman injured in a crush outside a London concert venue has died

Police say a woman injured in a crush outside a London concert venue has died.

LONDON — (AP) — Three people remained hospitalized in critical condition on Friday after hundreds of people forced their way into a London concert venue during a performance by Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake. Police said eight people were taken to hospitals after being caught in a crowd trying to get into the O2 Brixton Academy. Akin Oluwaleimu went to the concert with his 14-year-old daughter but said he decided to leave after things turned “rowdy” outside. People were injured because there was a lot of pushing, a lot of pushing,” he told the BBC. One piece of footage shows an officer appearing to shove a woman down a few stairs at the venue entrance.

The police force said it would hold a thorough investigation into what happened and how officers responded.

Four people have been hospitalized in critical condition after a suspected crush at a London concert venue.

Critics are slamming London Mayor Sadiq Khan after he flew 7,000 miles from London to Buenos Aires, Argentina to speak at a climate change summit.

LONDON — (AP) — The funeral of the only monarch most Britons have known involves the biggest security operation London has ever seen. Mayor Sadiq Khan says Monday's state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II is an "unprecedented" security challenge, with hundreds of thousands of people packing central London and a funeral guest list of 500 emperors, kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers and other leaders from around the world. “It’s been decades since this many world leaders were in one place,” said Khan. They are just the most visible part of a security operation that is being run from a high-tech control center near Lambeth Bridge, not far from Parliament. Authorities face the challenge of keeping 500 world leaders safe, without ruffling too many diplomatic feathers.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan says Monday’s state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II is an “unprecedented” security challenge.

The incident comes as London is flooded with mourners for Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state, but the stabbing did not occur near any commemorative sites, and police said the injured officers were not part of the royal operation.

Hotels, restaurants and shops are packed as royal fans pour into the heart of London to experience the flag-lined roads, pomp-filled processions and brave a mileslong line for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to bid adieu to Queen Elizabeth II.

LONDON — (AP) — Two London police officers were hospitalized after being stabbed in the city's busy West End on Friday, the Metropolitan Police force said. The force said officers patrolling near Leicester Square encountered a man with a knife early Friday morning and were stabbed while trying to detain him. The officers — a man and a woman — were taken to hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening. Police said a Taser was used during the arrest and the suspect was briefly taken to a hospital as a precaution. The incident comes as London is flooded with mourners for Queen Elizabeth II’s lying-in-state, but the stabbing did not occur near any commemorative sites and police said the injured officers were not part of the royal operation.

London’s police force says two officers have been hospitalized after being stabbed in central London early Friday

London’s police force says two officers have been hospitalized after being stabbed in central London early Friday.

July was the driest July for England since 1935, according to provisional statistics released Monday from the Met office, the United Kingdom's weather service.

The Lionesses will take on either France or Germany at Wembley Stadium on Sunday evening.

Europe is buckling under an heat dome and wildfires spreading rapidly due to extreme drought. Climate change is making extreme weather more frequent.

Britain’s Conservative Party has chosen Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss as the two finalists in an election to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Britain Wildfires A blaze is in the village of Wennington, east London, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. The typically temperate nation of England is the latest to be walloped by unusually hot, dry weather that has triggered wildfires from Portugal to the Balkans and led to hundreds of heat-related deaths. Forecasters predict London will reach a high of 26 Celsius (79 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, down from the record 40.3C (104.4F) set Tuesday at Coningsby in eastern England. Despite lower temperatures, the fire danger remains high because hot, dry weather has parched grassland around the city, Khan said. He’s still concerned about the ground being dry and the speed of fire spreading.”___Follow AP’s climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.

Britain’s record-breaking heat wave has disrupted travel for a third day and firefighters remain on alert even as cloudy skies and showers have brought relief from the scorching temperatures of recent days

Britain’s record-breaking heatwave is spurring calls for the government to speed up efforts to adapt to a changing climate after wildfires created the busiest day for London firefighters since bombs rained down on the city during World War II.

Britain Heat A man refreshes his face at a fountain in Trafalgar Square in central London, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (Aaron Chown/PA Wire/PA via AP) (Aaron Chown)LONDON — (AP) — The mayor of London says a heat wave that has brought temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) is causing a “huge surge” in the number of fires in the city. The London Fire Brigade said it had declared a “major incident,” which means it can call on resources from other emergency services. Meanwhile, nearly 750 heat-related deaths have been reported in Spain and neighboring Portugal in the heat wave there. “We have to stop this, turn this around.”Drought and heat waves tied to climate change have also made wildfires harder to fight.

Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah says he was illegally brought to the U.K. as a young boy and forced to care for other children before he escaped a life of servitude through running.

The British government says veteran counterterrorism police officer Mark Rowley will be the new chief of London’s troubled Metropolitan Police.

More than 600 LGBTQ groups were expected to take part in the march, which was headed by members of the Gay Liberation Front from the 1972 protest.

More than 600 LGBTQ groups were expected to take part in the march, which was headed by members of the Gay Liberation Front from the 1972 protest.

Britain Pride London Mohammed Nazir from London, poses on a giant rainbow flag, during the Pride in London parade, in London, Saturday, July 2, 2022, marking the 50th Anniversary of the Pride movement in the UK. (James Manning/PA via AP) (James Manning)LONDON — (AP) — The streets of London were filled with color on Saturday as the U.K. capital marked 50 years of Pride. After two years of cancellations because of the coronavirus pandemic, the parade came a half-century after London’s first march to celebrate Pride in 1972. Chris Joell-Deshields, the director of organizers Pride in London, said “momentous” rights and freedoms had been earned since the inaugural event, “but there is more to be done”. London Mayor Sadiq Khan hailed a “beautiful day” of “unity, visibility, equality and solidarity” as he joined in the celebrations.

The streets of London have been filled with color as the U.K. capital marked 50 years of Pride

Hundreds of thousands of people have turned out on the streets of London to mark the 50th anniversary of the U.K.’s first Pride parade, filling the streets of the British capital with color.

Britain London Fire Anniversary Flowers and tributes left outside the remains of the Grenfell Tower, in London, Tuesday, June 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) (Alberto Pezzali)LONDON — (AP) — The names of the 72 people who died in a London high-rise tower blaze were read out Tuesday at a memorial service to mark five years since the tragedy. Former Prime Minister Theresa May and London Mayor Sadiq Khan joined Grenfell Tower survivors and the bereaved at the Westminster Abbey service to remember those who died in the June 14, 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which caused the greatest loss of life in a fire on British soil since World War II. Opening the multi-faith service, Rev. Officials have also issued new safety regulations requiring similar dangerous cladding to be removed from tower blocks across the country.

Britain London Fire Anniversary Flowers and tributes left outside the remains of the Grenfell Tower, in London, Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of the fire that killed 72 people. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) (Alberto Pezzali)LONDON — (AP) — The names of the 72 people who lost their lives in a London high-rise tower blaze were read out at a memorial service Tuesday to mark five years since the tragedy. Flammable cladding panels installed on the tower's exterior walls have been blamed for how the fire raced out of control. A public inquiry has been conducting a years-long investigation into the disaster, and a police investigation is also ongoing.

Prince William and British politicians have joined in memorial services to mark five years since 72 people died in London’s Grenfell Tower blaze, the worst domestic fire on British soil since World War II.

Sam Knight writes about London’s newly opened railway route, the Elizabeth Line, which took more than a decade and twenty billion pounds to complete, and which decreases commute time between the east and west points of London.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, traveled to California to try to convince Silicon Valley tech leaders to invest more money in the U.K. capital.

Justin Verlander and the Astros try for their eighth straight win when they visit Joe Ryan and the first-place Twins in a matchup of American League contenders with identical 18-11 records.

At the Academy Awards in Los Angles Sunday night, attendees expressed support for Ukraine by going silent for 30 seconds.

A high quantity of chlorine gas was discharged inside the Aquatics Center at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park due to a chemical reaction.

A high quantity of chlorine gas was discharged inside the Aquatics Center at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park due to a chemical reaction.

LONDON — (AP) — A swimming pool at the London sports complex that hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics was evacuated Wednesday and ambulance crews treated several people after chlorine gas was released inside the facility, authorities said. The London Fire Brigade said a “high quantity of chlorine gas” was discharged inside the Aquatics Center at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London due to a “chemical reaction.”“While we ventilate the premises, we would ask those residents in the immediate vicinity to close their doors and windows," the brigade said on Twitter. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was built for and hosted the 2012 Olympic Games. Park administrators said earlier that “there are a number of casualties with breathing difficulties" who were under the care of ambulance workers. London Mayor Sadiq Khan, said he was in close contact with emergency services and warned people to avoid the park.

The occupation of the home reflects an idea floated by politicians to help refugees.

Cities need to reduce car traffic. But a proposed pay-as-you-drive plan may not work without expanding London’s public transit system.

The British monarch, 95, is expecting to “continue light duties" in the coming week, the palace said.

Millions of Britons are being urged to cancel travel plans and stay indoors amid fears of high winds and flying debris

The second major storm in three days has smashed through northern Europe, killing at least nine people as high winds felled trees, cancelled train services and ripped sections off the roof of London’s O2 Arena.

The departure of Britain’s top police officer brings a chance for a fresh start. It’s time to stop pitting civil rights against public safety.

Cressida Dick was supposed to be a pioneering reformer, but she couldn’t overcome the culture of the force.

Cressida Dick said she is resigning after a string of controversies that undermined public confidence in London's Metropolitan Police and prompted a falling out between her and the capital's mayor.

The Met Commissioner was put "on notice" by the mayor of London following a damning watchdog report.

The Mayor of London has called for a register of overseas property ownership in a bid to crack down on money laundering as threats of Russian sanctions grow.

Most coronavirus restrictions, including mandatory face masks, have been lifted in England after Britain’s government said its vaccine booster rollout successfully reduced serious illness and COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Britain Bus Crash Emergency services at the scene on the Broadway after a bus crashed into a building, in Highams Park, east London, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) (Victoria Jones)LONDON — (AP) — A double-decker public bus crashed into a building in London on Tuesday, leaving five people, including three children, requiring hospital treatment, the ambulance service said. Police and emergency workers were called to Highams Park in northeast London after the collision, which took place during the morning rush hour. London Ambulance Service said medical staff treated 19 people at the scene, including the five who were taken for hospital treatment. Police have closed roads in the area as emergency services worked at the scene.

A double-decker public bus in London has crashed into a building and emergency workers say that five people required hospital treatment.

Britain’s health secretary has refused to rule out imposing tougher COVID-19 restrictions before Christmas amid the rapid rise of infections and continuing uncertainty about the omicron variant.

The surge comes as officials express growing concern over the Omicron virus.

LONDON — (AP) — The Dutch government says it is imposing a tough nationwide lockdown starting Sunday in an attempt to rein in sharply rising levels of infections with the omicron coronavirus mutation. “The Netherlands is going into lockdown again from tomorrow,” caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Saturday. Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge didn't say what measures the government might impose as he headed into the meeting. Britain and other nations are also accelerating the pace of booster shots after early data showed that two doses of vaccine were less effective against the omicron variant. Omicron is now the dominant coronavirus variant in London and efforts were stepped up to reach people who haven't yet been vaccinated or boosted.

Britain Woman Killed This is an undated photo provided by the Metropolitan Police on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021 of Sabina Nessa. British police investigating the killing of a 28-year-old woman in London say they are probing whether she was attacked by a stranger. Police called for information over the murder of a primary school teacher Sabina Nessa on Sept.17 in southeast London. The Metropolitan Police are calling for information over the killing of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa on Sept. 17 in Kidbrooke, southeast London. A cousin of Nessa told the BBC that the 28-year-old’s parents are “inconsolable”.

British police investigating the killing of a 28-year-old woman in London say they are probing whether she was attacked by a stranger.

British police investigating the killing of a 28-year-old woman in London said Thursday they are probing whether she was attacked by a stranger, in a case that sparked new concerns for the safety of women walking the capital's streets. The Metropolitan Police are calling for information over the killing of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa on Sept. 17 in Kidbrooke, southeast London. Detectives believe she was attacked during what would have been a five-minute walk through a local park on her way to meet a friend at a pub.

Khan warned that inaction would have a disastrous impact on the environment, and called on delegates attending the summit in November to make serious changes.

LONDON — (AP) — London’s subway opened two new stations Monday in the network’s first expansion since the 1990s, an expansion that Mayor Sadiq Khan said will play a key role in the capital’s recovery from the pandemic. The Battersea Power Station, which was decommissioned in the 1980s, has been redeveloped into a swank residential and business complex now housing corporations including tech giant Apple. Authorities borrowed 1 billion pounds ($1.37 billion) from the Treasury for this latest project, which will be partly funded by contributions from developers. Transport for London estimates that the new services will support 25,000 new jobs and 20,000 new homes. Britain’s government has given some 4 billion pounds to keep trains and buses running as the transport network struggled with the collapse in fares revenue.

London’s subway has opened two new stations in the network’s first expansion since the 1990s.

Londoners are cleaning up after torrential rain left homes, roads and several subway stations flooded, the second unseasonal inundation in as many weeks.

Britain Hong Kong FILE - In this file photo dated Monday, May 10, 2021, Sadiq Khan the Mayor of London poses for a photograph outside Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. More than 34,000 people have already applied for the visa, Khan said, though most haven’t yet arrived in the U.K. because of the pandemic. International travel has been severely restricted and Hong Kong was only added to England’s “green list” of safe countries on Monday, meaning that people arriving from there do not need to quarantine on arrival unless they test positive. The mayor said he was keen to send a message to Hong Kongers that London “will welcome you with open arms.”“For me, it’s quite clear we’ve got a moral obligation to help those from Hong Kong. His office will use government funding and work with community groups to advise and help Hong Kongers navigate the challenges of finding housing, schools and jobs, he added.

LONDON — (AP) — London’s mayor on Thursday sent a message of support to Hong Kong people fleeing China’s crackdown on democracy to seek a new life in the United Kingdom, saying his office will spend 900,000 pounds ($1.2 million) to help new arrivals with housing, education and finding jobs. The visa, which allows those eligible to apply for British citizenship after living in the U.K. for five years, was introduced last year after Beijing imposed a sweeping new national security law in Hong Kong. More than 34,000 people have already applied for the visa, Khan said, though most haven’t yet arrived in the U.K. because of the pandemic. International travel has been severely restricted and Hong Kong was only added to England’s “green list” of safe countries on Monday, meaning that people arriving from there do not need to quarantine on arrival unless they test positive. The mayor said he was keen to send a message to Hong Kongers that London “will welcome you with open arms.”“For me, it’s quite clear we’ve got a moral obligation to help those from Hong Kong.

London’s mayor has sent a message of support to Hong Kong residents fleeing China’s crackdown on democracy to seek new lives in the United Kingdom.

England’s nightclubs have reopened as the country lifted most remaining restrictions after more than a year of lockdowns, mask mandates and other pandemic-related curbs on freedom.

Thousands of young people across England plan to dance the night away at “Freedom Day” parties as soon as it turns Monday.

COVID-19 deaths and cases are on the rise again globally in a dispiriting setback that is triggering another round of restrictions and dampening hopes for a return to normal life.

London's mayor says mask-wearing will be required on the city's transport network even after legal restrictions in England are lifted on July 19.

British police have opened investigations into the racist abuse of three Black players who failed to score penalties in England’s shootout loss to Italy in the European Championship final.

“The Lehman Trilogy” was able to make only four preview performances on Broadway before the pandemic shut its doors.

Scotland’s leader has told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that a second Scottish independence referendum is “a matter of when, not if,” after her party won its fourth straight parliamentary election.

The Scottish National Party has won its fourth straight parliamentary election on Saturday and insisted it will push on with another referendum on Scotland’s independence from the U.K. even though it just failed to secure a majority.

British voters are casting their ballots in local and regional elections that could have huge repercussions for the future of the United Kingdom.

Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic have hit London in a perfect storm.

FILE - In this file photo dated Saturday, March 20, 2021, floral tributes and messages surround the bandstand on Clapham Common in London after the nearby disappearance of Sarah Everard. A U.K. police watchdog said Tuesday March 30, 2021, that officers did not behave in a heavy-handed manner when they broke up a vigil for Sarah Everard, who disappeared while walking home in London and was later found murdered. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, FILE)LONDON – A U.K. police watchdog said Tuesday that officers didn't behave “in a heavy-handed manner” when they broke up a vigil for a London woman whose killing sparked an outcry about women's safety. Her body was later found hidden in woodland more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) away. Images of police officers tussling with women at the peaceful rally, and leading some away in handcuffs, drew strong criticism.

A bird flies above an Underground sign at one of the entrances to King's Cross tube station in London, Friday, March 12, 2021. Even as many of its famous institutions closed during the coronavirus pandemic for most of the past 12 months, London's Underground kept running through three successive lockdowns. Nicknamed the Tube, its staff from cleaners to train drivers take pride in maintaining a system that keeps London's heart beating. Its continued operation was a sign that even in a pandemic, London's heart was still beating. In the early weeks, when most Britons were told to stay at home and fear outpaced facts about the virus, Underground employees kept going to work, but worried about getting sick.

But the vigil ended with clashes between police and those attending, and many questioned whether the police force was too heavy-handed. Home Secretary Priti Patel said scenes from the vigil in south London were “upsetting." AdPolice were seen scuffling with some women at the event, and one woman was seen pinned to the ground by two officers. Everard, a marketing executive, was last seen walking home from a friend’s apartment in south London at about 10:30 p.m. on March 3. Her body was found hidden in an area of woodland in Kent, more than 50 miles southeast of London, on Wednesday.

More than 3 million people in the U.K. have tested positive for the coronavirus and 81,000 have died — 30,000 in just the last 30 days. Anthony Costello, professor of global health at University College London, said “dilly-dallying” in March about whether to lock down the U.K. cost thousands of lives. Johnson tightened restrictions for London and the southeast, but the government’s scientific advisory committee warned Dec. 22 that would not be enough. Johnson did not announce a third national lockdown for England until almost two weeks later, on Jan. 4. So don’t beat them up too badly.”___Follow AP coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at:https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemichttps://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccinehttps://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

A man wearing a face covering walks past the London Eye in London, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. Not all the deaths announced by the government on Friday occurred on the same day. The hospital was one of several built in the spring to help during the pandemic, but was not heavily used. The U.K. is recording virus-related deaths at a level last seen during the worst days early in the pandemic. According to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the U.K. has the most COVID-related deaths in Europe and the fifth highest number in the world.

A British coroner has ruled on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020 that excessive air pollution from traffic fumes contributed to the death of a 9-year-old girl who died of a fatal asthma attack. The girl is believed to be the first person in the U.K. to have air pollution listed as the cause of death on their death certificate. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)LONDON – A British coroner ruled Wednesday that excessive air pollution from traffic fumes contributed to the death of a 9-year-old girl who died of a fatal asthma attack. The girl is believed to be the first person in the U.K. to have air pollution listed as the cause of death on their death certificate. Her mother has long fought to have the role of air pollution in her daughter’s death recognized.

People wearing face masks to protect against coronavirus as they walk past a pub in Soho, London, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)LONDON – The four nations of the United Kingdom faced mounting calls Tuesday to scrap. or at least limit, a planned easing of coronavirus restrictions over Christmas following a spike in new infections. Any potential easing over Christmas contrasts with measures being taken by other European nations such as Germany and the Netherlands, which have announced sweeping new restrictions for the holidays. When the Christmas easing was first announced last month, Johnson was careful to stress that households should be "jolly careful, especially with elderly relatives.”However, that easing announcement was predicated on an assumption that new cases would be on a downward trajectory.

The move means millions will be barred from meeting with anyone from outside their households and will be asked to minimize travel. The opposition Labour Party's spokesman on health issues, Jonathan Ashworth, described the measures as inadequate to stem the exponential growth of the virus. After Johnson on Wednesday refused to rule out such a move, Ashworth asked Thursday what the government's criteria were for taking such action. Hancock said discussions were continuing with Greater Manchester and Lancashire about moving those communities into the government's highest risk tier. There are growing indications that travel between the four nations will start to be restricted too, particularly to and from areas deemed to be high risk.

Connecticut has seen an uptick in virus cases in communities across the state over the past few weeks. There were 3,747 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases reported Thursday, breaking the record of 3,279 set on Tuesday. The day of high case numbers comes just two weeks after the Republican governor repealed that same statewide mask mandate, citing declining numbers of virus cases. Mississippi has had more than 108,000 virus cases and at least 3,152 virus-related deaths. Mississippi’s state health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Monday that six hospitals have no beds available in their intensive care units.

Cities around the U.K. are imposing new coronavirus restrictions as they race to slow the spread of COVID-19, and London could be next. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)LONDON – Cities around the U.K. imposed new coronavirus restrictions Friday as they raced to slow the spread of COVID-19 — with London at risk of following soon. In the Welsh cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Llanelli, households also will be banned from mixing indoors. Together with local lockdowns announced previously, one-quarter of the UK population is now living under heightened restrictions. We’re seeing a sharp rise in 111 calls, hospital admissions and patients in ICU,'' Khan said, referencing Britain's hotline for medical assistance.

A police officer stands outside Croydon Custody Centre where a police officer was shot in the early hours of Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Croydon, England. A British police officer has been shot dead inside a London police station while detaining a suspect. Londons Metropolitan Police force said the officer was shot at the Croydon Custody Center in the south of the city early Friday. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP)LONDON – A British police officer was shot dead inside a London police station early Friday by a suspect he was detaining, who then appears to have turned the gun on himself. The officer is the 17th from the London force to be killed by a firearm since 1945.

Britain has Europe’s highest death toll since the start of the pandemic, with 41,821 confirmed virus-related deaths. In Australia, about 100 protesters gathered in the Melbourne beachside suburb of Elwood on Saturday before being scattered by police. Romania is among the countries that has had a new spike in confirmed cases, including a national daily record of 1,713 cases earlier in the week and 1,333 more on Saturday. In all, Romania has had 111,550 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 4,402 deaths from the disease since the start of the pandemic. Protesters in Bucharest’s University Square drew parallels between the protective measures against the pandemic and Nazi regimes.

People queue up outside a coronavirus testing centre offering walk-in appointments in north London, Friday Sept. 18, 2020. Johnson's comments came amid mounting speculation that the government will announce fresh curbs on the hospitality sector, such as pubs and restaurants, potentially involving curfews — something already in place in areas facing extra lockdown restrictions. The spike, which has been largely seen among young adults, has already led to lockdown restrictions being reimposed. The other nations of the U.K. — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — have announced similar clampdowns on meetings. There are also more targeted restrictions across the U.K. in areas seeing acute spikes.

A staff member waits at empty lanes of a Covid-19 drive thru testing facility at Twickenham stadium in London, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. The comments came after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that authorities will have to impose tougher measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 and “protect’’ the Christmas holidays. Dido Harding, who is in charge of the virus testing program, told a parliamentary committee that constraints in the system were due to processing in laboratories. While younger and stronger individuals are usually more resilient to the effects of COVID-19, the demographic group is now spreading the virus to older people. Local leaders are also demanding the government increase testing capacity to stave off a second wave of infections.

(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)LONDON Britains government will demand people wear face coverings in shops as it seeks to clarify its message after weeks of prevarication amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The order comes into effect on July 24, giving shops and the police time to prepare. Environment Secretary George Eustice also did not rule out the possibility that mandatory face coverings would become compulsory in offices and other workplaces in the future. Scotland has already made masks mandatory in stores. A growing body of evidence suggests wearing face coverings brings some benefit in preventing the spread of the virus.

Stun guns are in limited but increasing use in France already. According to the French police oversight agency, stun guns killed one person last year and three suffered severe injuries. The human rights group has said at least 500 people died after being hit by stun guns between 2001 and 2012 in the United States. The Netherlands began issuing stun guns to police in 2017 and is training 17,000 of the forces 40,000 officers. There are about 15,000 stun guns in France, which has a total police and gendarme force of around 240,000.

Scaffolders erect boarding around the statue of Sir Winston Churchill at Parliament Square, in London, Thursday, June 11, 2020, following Black Lives Matter protests that took place across the U.K. over the weekend. The protests were ignited by the death of George Floyd, who died after he was restrained by Minneapolis police while in custody on May 25. (Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP)LONDON Authorities in London boarded up a war memorial and a statue of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill ahead of expected rival demonstrations by anti-racism and far-right protesters, as the citys mayor on Friday urged protesters to stay home because of the coronavirus pandemic. Several other statues have been defaced during mass protests around the country, including Churchills, which was daubed with the words was a racist. Police now fear far-right groups plan to seek confrontation under the guise of protecting statues. With more demonstrations expected on the weekend, a protective plywood screen was erected late Thursday around Churchills statue outside Parliament.

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)LONDON More statues of imperialist figures could be removed from Britains streets, following the unauthorized felling of a monument to slave trader Edward Colston in the city of Bristol, the mayor of London said Tuesday. Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was setting up a commission to ensure the citys monuments reflected its diversity. Debate over who should be publicly commemorated has been reignited in Britain by the felling of a monument to Colston, a 17th-century slave trader and philanthropist. Many Bristolians welcomed the statues removal, but the British government called it an act of vandalism and urged police to prosecute the perpetrators. At weekend protests in London, demonstrators scrawled was a racist on a statue of Winston Churchill.