Germany extends lockdown to end-January, adds stricter measures - Merkel

Germany is extending its nationwide lockdown until the end of the month and is introducing new tougher restrictions in a bid to get control of surging coronavirus infections, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.

"We need to restrict contact more strictly... We ask all citizens to restrict contact to the absolute minimum," she told journalists following a meeting with the leaders of Germany's 16 federal states.