TOP HEADLINES

- Road blocks remain in place on routes into and out of Madrid after the city went back into a partial lockdown which left some 4.8 million people barred from leaving the capital. 

- Italy's government is likely to impose new restrictions across the country in the coming days to try to slow the rising numbers of new cases, health minister Roberto Speranza said. 

- London's Royal Opera House is to sell a 1970s painting by David Hockney estimated to be worth between $14 and $23 million as it seeks to raise cash to get through the pandemic. 

- The world's biggest cinema operator, Cineworld has confirmed it is considering closing all its screens in the UK, U.S. and Ireland after the delayed release date of several major films including the new James Bond movie. 

- UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that it will be "bumpy" through to Christmas and possibly into 2021.

- Johnson also defended his decision to encourage people to go out to restaurants in August, saying that without that move "we would have seen many more hundreds of thousands of job losses."

- Ex-Ukrainian President Petro Poroschenko has been hospitalized with the virus, according to his wife Marina.

- Hungary's government has agreed a deal which will see a wage increase for doctors across the country, as it braces itself for a second wave of infections. 

- Hundreds of protesters gathered in Konstanz, south Germany on Saturday to oppose measures put in place by the government to slow the surge in infections. 

- France's new infections also rose by a record amount: 16,972, almost 5,000 more than on the previous day. Fatalities also rose by 49 to 32,198. 

- The delayed London Marathon finally took place on Sunday with only professional runners allowed to run the official course.

- Ireland is witnessing a "significant escalation" in new infections according to the acting chief medical officer, Ronan Glynn, after 613 cases were reported in the past 24 hours, the highest daily total since the country entered its lockdown. 

ACROSS EUROPE

Iolo ap Dafydd in London

Coronavirus infections in the UK have risen steeply this weekend, with more than 12,000 new cases confirmed, partly because of a delay in how the government records virus cases. 

Earlier this week, it seemed there were fewer new cases and a slower infection rate.

Tighter restrictions have been introduced in the north of England. A third of Britons now live under tougher restrictions in various local lockdowns.

Keir Starmer, the leader of the UK's main opposition Labour Party has accused prime minister Boris Johnson of "serial incompetence" over his handling of the virus. 

Johnson said he hoped there would be progress in development of vaccines and the scale of testing, which would mean the "scientific equation will change."

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Ross Cullen in Paris

Paris officials are meeting government officials on Sunday to discuss the health situation in the capital. 

The health secretary warned on Thursday that if the numbers in the French capital continue to worsen, then one measure that is likely to be proposed to try to contain the surge in new infections would be the closure of all bars and restaurants from tomorrow. 

Paris could also be re-classified from 'heightened alert' to 'maximum alert.' The shutdown of cafes and bistros is already in place in Marseille, which is on 'maximum alert.' 

Other major French cities like Lyon, Lille and Grenoble could also be re-classified if their health situation continues to deteriorate.

Ukraine

Ukraine recorded 4,661 new cases on Saturday, a daily record number of infections as the country struggles to cope with a surge in cases.

Meanwhile, the country's ex-President Petro Poroschenko has been hospitalized with the virus, according to his wife Marina.

Poroschenko, who ran the country between 2014 and 2019 was diagnosed with the virus in late September but his condition has since deteriorated.

The former President suffers with diabetes so could be more vulnerable.

"Despite the fact that my husband has bilateral pneumonia, he has a strong will," Marina Poroshenko said. 

It is also believed that one of their daughters has been admitted to hospital after contracting the virus too. 

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CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded. Here you can read the essential information about the crisis.