PARIS France is closing its borders to people arriving from outside the European Union starting Sunday to try to stop the spread of new variants of the coronavirus.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the measure Friday night after an emergency government health security meeting at the presidential palace, warning of a “great risk” from the new variants.
All those arriving from other EU countries will be required to produce a negative virus test, he says. France will close all large shopping centers starting Sunday and limit travel to and from its overseas territories.
Castex ordered stepped up police checks of those who violate France’s 12-hour-a-day curfew, hold secret parties or reopen restaurants in defiance of a closure order in place since October.
What we’ll be watching
Robby Korth, StateImpact education reporter: The COVID-19 pandemic turned education on its head. Measures introduced in the 2021 session are designed to combat new issues faced by schools because of the coronavirus as well as address old ones that were exacerbated by the pandemic.
Legislators are looking at ways to incentivize schools to offer in-person schooling, making transfers between districts easier and addressing the teacher shortage.
Legislators are increasingly interested in making sure long periods of distance learning that happened in 2020 never happen again.
One measure introduced would require a certain number of instructional days to be held in person unless schools were granted a waiver.
State Supreme Court Declares Two More Gaming Compacts Invalid
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has declared in favor of Senate Pro Temp Greg Treat and House Speaker Charles McCall that Governor Stitt overstepped his authority by bypassing the legislature.
In December of 2019, Governor Stitt signed an extension with the United Keetoowah Band & Kialegee Tribal Town unilaterally. On Tuesday, the court ruled that by entering into the new compacts with the two tribes under different terms than the Model Gaming Compact and without approval from the Joint Committee, the executive branch disrupted the balance between itself and the legislative branch.
The court concluded by declaring that without approval by the Joined Committee, the new tribal gaming compacts are invalid under Oklahoma Law. The Supreme Court recently tossed out two other compacts with The Comanche Nation and Otoe-Missouria Tribe on the same grounds.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Concerns are mounting that Oklahoma’s state Capitol could become a COVID-19 superspreader site as the Legislature prepares to convene with no apparent mask enforcement for visitors or
Oklahoma House rejects proposed coronavirus safety measures Share Updated: 10:10 PM CST Jan 5, 2021 Associated Press AP Images Oklahoma state Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City, is pictured on the House floor, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) SOURCE: AP Images Share Updated: 10:10 PM CST Jan 5, 2021 Associated Press The Republican-led Oklahoma House on Tuesday rejected an attempt by Democrats to require members to wear masks on the House floor and take other steps to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.The House and Senate each convened for a constitutionally mandated organizational day to formally elect its leaders and seat its elected members. They also voted to adopt rules ahead of the new legislative session that begins Feb. 1.During discussion of the new House rules, Democratic leader Rep. Emily Virgin proposed several amendments, including