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According to Tuesday's decree by health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, from October 28, entertainment events and public catering should be stopped by 11pm. The recommendation, which effectively means that all restaurants would only be able to work until the end of dinner service and nightclubs would not be able to open at all, has not been imposed on Russian regions, with the decision to follow the decree falling on regional administrations. The unexpected announcement follows assurances that everything would be done to keep the service industry alive in the world's largest country.
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Russia's bars and nightclubs began to re-open in late June, after spring saw some of the world's strictest anti-Covid measures. In Moscow, residents were restricted from leaving their apartments for anything other than food, medical help, or walking a dog. The restrictions were partially lifted on June 16, with cafes and restaurants being allowed to open terraces, and bars and clubs operating fully just weeks later. Ever since, most of the country has been functioning normally, with regional governor's having control over their area's restrictions.
Last week, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced that the city's nightclubs and bars would be allowed to keep working if they introduced electronic registration for contact tracing. This system may now become obsolete. In Saint Petersburg, the city authorities had already decided to shut down nightlife after 23.00. In some other regions, there were curfews that were often not strictly enforced.
On October 19, speaking to the press service of Saint Petersburg's regional government, local Vice Governor Yevgeny Elin called for citizens to "dance and cuddle a little less and give less work to our health care system," adding that now is not the time for "having fun and transmitting the virus to each other during a hot dance."
Social media has been awash with exasperated citizens making their own protest. A Welsh man responded to the announcement that clothes were non-essential by taking to the supermarket only wearing his underwear.
Many people were angered by the availability of alcohol but not other items. One woman claimed that she couldn't buy a sympathy card for her friend who had lost their father to Covid, but she could buy vodka.
Whilst another lady questioned the government's commitment to mental health.
One woman told the BBC that she was unable to buy replacement clothes for her daughter after she was taken to hospital covered in blood. "I have never felt so angry, frustrated or upset, ever. You just never know when a 'non-essential' item will become 'essential' to you."
The shopping rules were introduced on Friday evening, as part of Wales' 17-day lockdown, but retailers argue that they weren't given enough time to prepare as the restrictions were only announced on Thursday morning.
Businesses also claim that they haven't been given a definitive list of banned items, leading to confusion as shops try to interpret the new rules.
Over 65,000 people have signed a petition demanding the removal of the ban on non-essential items being sold in supermarkets.
On Saturday, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said the government would "be reviewing how the weekend has gone with the supermarkets and making sure common sense is applied."
Wales is subjected to the strictest Covid-19 measures in the UK, with guidance suggesting people should only leave the house if they really need to. The lockdown will remain in place until November 9.
"Federal authorities are now investigating this matter. For the next several weeks, it is a top priority of our offices to help maintain the integrity of the election process in Massachusetts by aggressively enforcing federal election laws.The state's top elections official, Secretary of State William Galvin, along with Mayor Martin Walsh expressed outrage earlier in the day and urged local officials to increase security at ballot dropboxes across the state. Galvin and Walsh pledged that "any effort to undermine or tamper" with the elections process will "be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
"What happened in the early hours of this morning to the ballot drop box in Copley Square is a disgrace to democracy, a disrespect to the voters fulfilling their civic duty, and a crime."
Comment: The nerve of Gates is astounding. To deride an actual expert for not following his advice, when he has no qualifications whatsoever, is a level of gall rarely witnessed!
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