TOP HEADLINES

• The European Union expects to receive 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines from four different manufacturers by the end of September, EU leaders were told on Friday, according to Reuters. The supply should be enough to fully vaccinate the entire EU adult population.

• EU leaders also announced they will donate 100 million doses of vaccines to poorer countries by the end of the year.

• The Moderna vaccine has shown to be effective in adolescents aged 12 to 18 the biotech firm said it plans to apply to the U.S. regulator for approval for emergency use from July.

• Sweden has pledged to donate 3 million doses of vaccines to COVAX, a significant increase on its initial promise of 1 million doses.

• Poland is launching a lottery involving sports and film stars to encourage citizens to get vaccinated, people who have been inoculated will be entered into the draw for prizes as much as 1 million zlotys ($273,000).

• The UK government is advising against travel to and from eight areas where the so-called Indian variant is spreading faster than anywhere else in the country. People in these areas should also avoid indoor gatherings. Some of the affected local authorities complained about not having been advised prior to the public announcement.

• Austria has reintroduced a ban on direct flights from the UK, as news agency APA reported on Tuesday morning.

• Ireland's government is expected to unveil plans for a "green certificate" that will allow citizens to move freely around Europe.

• Major cruise lines are returning to sea, with Norwegian Cruise Lines, Carnival and Royal Caribbean saying they will set sail again respectively in August and July, allowing trips with passengers and crew who received COVID-19 vaccinations.

• Despite the U.S. advising against traveling to Japan, the country's Olympic committee is still "confident" Team USA athletes will be able to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Japan in July.

• Tata Steel, an international steel manufacturing company, declared that the monthly salaries of workers who have died from COVID-19 will go to the families instead, up until the date the late employee would have retired. 

• An outbreak on Mount Qomolangma has infected at least 100 climbers and support staff. An expert mountaineering guide confirmed the news after test results revealed the extent of the crisis at a base camp on the Nepali side of the world's highest peak, known in the west as Mount Everest.

READ MORE:

Why the 1990s Diana controversy threatens the BBC's future

Castle heist: thieves take Mary Queen of Scots' relics

Trash or Treasure: Creative solutions
 

ACROSS EUROPE

Nawied Jabarkhyl in London

The government has urged people not to travel in and out of parts of England hardest hit by the COVID-19 variant first discovered in India.

The eight areas include Hounslow in London and the city of Leicester. But some local authorities say they were not told about the changes before they were made public.

And UK government borrowing hit $45 billion last month. That's the second highest amount for April since records began but it's more than $22 billion less than in April 2020. Large parts of the economy were allowed to reopen last month as COVID-19 lockdown measures were eased.

Ross Cullen in Paris

From May 29, people in France will be able to upload vaccination information to the government's track-and-trace app. They will be able to list proof of vaccination, proof of recent negative test or proof of recovery after having contracted COVID-19. 

From June 9, it will be obligatory to show a digital vaccine passport in France to access major events with more than 1,000 people, also theaters, festivals and sports stadiums. 

QR scanners will be placed at bars and restaurants for all diners to scan so they will know if they have been in close contact at a cafe or bistro with someone who tested positive. The digital economy minister says the health passes will not be needed to access public places where people are moving around, such as museums.

Penelope Liersch in Budapest 

Free COVID-19 tests will be provided to those traveling in Czechia over the summer. According to the country's health minister, in June health insurance companies will cover the cost of two PCR tests for COVID-19 and four antigen tests. 

The minister told reporters that during the summer holidays there will be a system in place allowing travelers to get tested for free, adding that this needed to be discussed in greater detail by the government. He also noted that international travel will be made easier in future once the European digital green certificate can be used. The Czech version should be available to download from the start of June. 

Meanwhile, the country's theaters have reopened after eight months of closure due to restrictions. Now 500 people can attend shows indoors and 1,000 outdoors.

Toni Waterman in Brussels

Belgium 

Belgium's Superior Health Council has ruled that people who have recently recovered from COVID-19 should still be given two vaccine doses. France has decided to go with only one dose. 

The co-head of Belgium's vaccination task force said that while people may have developed high levels of antibodies, "we are still not sure of optimal protection."

Fresh data show that 90 percent of people 65 and older have now received at least one COVID-19 shot in Belgium. 

The high inoculation rate of the most vulnerable comes as new infections begin to creep higher. Cases were up 10 percent in the past week compared with the previous week to an average of 2,382 new infections per day. 

Brussels

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing pandemic. They are expected to call for immunization programs to maintain pace and to make pledges to donate vaccines to lower-income nations, mainly through the COVAX vaccine sharing program. 

France, Italy and Germany made modest pledges last week, collectively promising to donate just shy of 100m doses. 

Leaders are also expected to sign off on the COVID-19 certificate, bringing summer travel one step closer. 

But emerging variants could throw a wrench into the works and in his invitation letter, EU Council President Charles Michel said the bloc must maintain its vigilance and be "prepared to take action as necessary."

FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES

CGTN Europe: The biochemist whose research helped create COVID-19 vaccines

CGTN China: Macao visitor arrivals up by 70 times YoY in April

CGTN America: How a Chinese restaurant in the U.S. has survived from the pandemic

CGTN Africa: China honors commitment by urging provision of vaccines for Africa: Libyan analysts

Sign up here to get the COVID-19 Europe bulletin sent directly to your inbox.

CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded.