TOP STORIES

• A new rapid test for COVID-19 is fast and accurate, according to researchers at the University of Birmingham in the UK. The ​​RTF-EXPAR test is as reliable as the PCR test, which is used across Europe as the top standard. Its "one pot" method means it does not have to be sent to a lab for processing, and results can arrive in three minutes. 

• Pope Francis shared a video message supporting COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday morning. The head of the Roman Catholic Church said they were safe, effective and described getting jabbed as an "act of love." The video was aimed at the Americas and featured cardinals from the region along with the Argentina-born Pope. 

• Restrictions are returning in Israel despite widespread vaccine uptake, as cases hit their highest level since January. Vaccination certificates or negative test results will be needed to enter most places, such as restaurants and cafes as well as religious and cultural sites. 

• The UK parliament today sits in full, in person for the first time since the lockdown in 2020 introduced video conferencing to parliamentary proceedings. The House of Commons was recalled from its summer vacation to discuss the urgent refugee situation in Afghanistan. 

• France's government has set aside $2.3 billion for COVID-19 vaccinations in next year's budget. More than 80 percent of elderly French people are vaccinated, but it could take a door-to-door effort to reach them all, some have suggested. 

• Germany reported its highest case numbers since May with more than 8,000 new infections. The hike in numbers has not prompted any new measures or controls so far, but it is widely expected vaccine certificates will soon be needed to enter indoor venues. 

• And finally, the Formula 1 Japan GP has been canceled over COVID-19 "complexities," according to the race organizers. It's the second year in a row the race weekend in Japan has been called off, despite the recent success of the Olympic Games and upcoming Paralympics. The motorbike MotoGP race at Suzuka has also been shelved.

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AROUND EUROPE

Ross Cullen in Paris

Some 245 people are being treated for COVID-19 in France in intensive care – the highest number since the middle of June. French media have reported the government has set aside a $2.3bn budget for next year specifically for vaccinations. 

The government's latest aim is to pass the mark of 50m vaccinations by the end of the month. France has currently administered first doses to 46m people. "We have to go door-to-door to convince the 16 percent of unvaccinated over-80s," suggested the French Society for the Elderly. The president of the society is in favor of the idea of ​​a third dose for the elderly, a proposal that the government supports and wants to begin next month.

Nawied Jabarkhyl in London

The UK recorded another 170 deaths linked to COVID-19 in its latest daily figures, the highest death toll since March 12.

The country’s health regulator has approved the use of the Moderna vaccine for 12 to 17-year-olds in the UK. All those aged 16 and 17 are to be offered a jab by August 23 but no decision has yet been taken by the government to extend it to younger people.

And next year's London Marathon will take place in October instead of April, for the third year in a row. Organizers said the decision would help the race take place in its usual format, given ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic. Around 50,000 runners are set to take part in this year's run on October 3.

Ryan Thompson in Frankfurt

Germany on Wednesday reported its highest daily increase in new COVID-19 cases since May 21, with 8,324 new infections. 

It is increasingly clear that a fourth wave, which did not come at the beginning of the summer as some had expected, is likely taking shape now. Millions are returning from summer holidays abroad and even those who have stayed appear to be foregoing strict social distancing rules. 

The nation's COVID-19 reproduction rate has been above 1 for more than a few weeks, meaning one person with the virus is going on to infect more than one other person. 

The nationwide incidence rate is now firmly above the government's threshold of 35.0, meaning a nationwide health pass — similar to those in France and Italy — is likely to be firmly required at indoor facilities soon. 

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