Daily roundupFriday's key coronavirus developments from Luxembourg and abroad

Starting with Luxembourg

• The latest figures from Luxembourg show that 917 new cases of coronavirus were discovered over the last 24 hours.

• Minister for Family Affairs Corinne Cahen confirmed Thursday that coronavirus cases in retirement and nursing homes are falling.

• The government’s support for business hit by the coronavirus will be extended until the end of February.

• On Friday, the Luxembourg City Court handed a police trainee an 18-month suspended sentence for using a false CovidCheck certificate.

• Civil servants will still need to prove their vaccinated or recovered status, or otherwise produce a negative test result, even after the new Covid law is passed.

• The new Covid-19 law was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on Friday afternoon, with 31 votes in favour and 28 against.

And abroad

• Britain’s economy grew by a record 7.5 percent last year on easing Covid curbs after a pandemic-driven collapse, official data showed Friday, but analysts warned that sky-high inflation clouds the 2022 outlook.

• Germany’s surge in coronavirus infections is reaching its peak, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Friday, signalling that Europe’s biggest economy can soon ease tough curbs as the wave begins to ebb.

• Russia on Friday said French President Emmanuel Macron was made to sit at an enormously long table for his talks with Vladimir Putin because he refused to take a Kremlin-performed Covid test.

• Thousands of protesters in “Freedom Convoys” were heading to Paris from across France on Friday, hoping to blockade the capital in opposition to Covid restrictions despite police warnings to back off.

• Italy took another step towards normality Friday with the reopening of nightclubs and the end of a requirement to wear masks outside, as the number of coronavirus cases eases.

• Tens of thousands of Iranians drove through Tehran on Friday to mark the 43rd anniversary of the country’s Islamic Revolution, staying in vehicles rather than marching on foot because of Covid restrictions.

• Canada’s Ontario province Friday declared a state of emergency over trucker-led protests paralyzing the capital and disrupting trade with the United States, as Premier Doug Ford vowed to do whatever it takes to end the blockades.

• Protester numbers outside New Zealand’s parliament swelled Friday as

  police scaled back efforts to clear anti-vaccine demonstrators involved in violent clashes a day earlier.

• Prince Charles, the eldest son and heir to Queen Elizabeth II, is isolating after testing positive for coronavirus for the second time, his office said on Thursday.