TOP HEADLINES 

· The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN children's agency UNICEF have called for governments across Europe to ensure schools remain open despite a surge in cases, saying it is "vital that classroom-based learning continues uninterrupted," after the massive disruption in education caused by the pandemic.

· The WHO and UNICEF also recommended on Monday that teachers and school staff be among the groups prioritized for vaccinations to help keep schools open.

· Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is self-isolating after having been identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive.

· Police fired tear gas at a crowd of around 7,000 demonstrators in Athens on Sunday who were protesting against a new rule that forces health workers to get vaccinated.

· Italy has imposed tighter restrictions on Sicily, which has returned to "yellow zone" status, according to the country's assessment of risk of infections. After a surge in the number of new cases in the region, mandatory mask-wearing outdoors is now reintroduced.

· Thousands of people took to the streets in Berlin on Sunday for a second day of unauthorized protests against restrictions on unvaccinated people in Germany. Police say they arrested 80 people on Sunday and 100 on Saturday.

· The European Union is expected to advise its member states reintroduce a ban on U.S. travelers as cases rise in there and the country is removed from the travel "safe list."

· The head of the WHO in Europe, Hans Kluge, told a news briefing on Monday that the increase in COVID-19 transmission rates across Europe over the past two weeks, together with low levels of vaccination in some countries, are "deeply worrying."

· New Zealand will extend its lockdown in Auckland for another two weeks, despite the number of cases dropping to its lowest on Monday. The country also reported its first death linked to the Pfizer vaccine, after a woman died of a rare side-effect after receiving the jab.

ACROSS EUROPE 

Toni Waterman in Brussels 

According to reports, the European Council will recommend its member states reimpose a ban on non-essential travel from the U.S., as infections and hospitalizations spurred by the Delta variant surge there.  

It is expected that from Monday, the U.S. will be removed from the "safe list" of countries.  

It was added to the list in June and was largely seen as a way to spur tourism during the lucrative summer holiday season. 

The U.S. never returned the favor and is still not allowing EU citizens to enter the U.S. 

The recommendation is not binding and member states can decide for themselves whether to follow the recommendation.

Iolo ap Dafydd in London

New COVID-19 cases reported in Scotland have increased after schools reopened. It is being seen as a warning for when Welsh and English pupils return in September.

More than 7,000 new cases were reported there at the weekend and there were more than 33,000 new infections in the UK as a whole. 

Scottish schools reopened a few weeks ago and Scotland's Health Secretary Humza Yousaf warned the NHS is facing a "perfect storm" of pressure. 

The latest figures state 507 people are in hospital with the coronavirus in the UK, with 52 of those in intensive care.

To counter what may be a difficult fall, the UK government is considering giving booster jabs with flu inoculations to most vulnerable people in September. But, no official plans have been published yet. 

So far in the UK, 48 million people have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and more than 42.6 million have had their second.

Ross Cullen in Paris

Starting today, the French government's COVID-19 health pass is a requirement for all public-facing workers in the hospitality and culture sectors in the country. 

Some 1.8 million employees are affected by the rule change. 

Until now, only customers at bars and restaurants or visitors to cinemas had to show their health pass. 

As of today, workers must also prove they have either been vaccinated against COVID-19, have recently tested negative for the coronavirus, or have recently recovered from it to access their place of work. 

Only staff who are working during public opening hours have to show the pass and those working in non-public workplaces such as offices will not need to show a health pass to access the building.

Trent Murray in Berlin 

The latest data from Germany's Robert Koch Institute show there have been 4,559 new COVID-19 cases reported. 

That's roughly 24 percent higher compared with the same day last week – with the more infectious Delta variant continuing to push up the caseload. 

Germany's coronavirus response took center stage at last night's election debate between the three candidates vowing to be the country's next chancellor.

All three suggested they'd like to avoid another lockdown, hoping the country's vaccine drive will help prevent fresh restrictions. 

Currently, 60.1 percent of the German population has received both doses, while 64.9 percent has received at least one shot.

FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES

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CGTN America: U.S. Texas Supreme Court temporarily allows governor's ban on school mask mandates

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