A group of students have barricaded themselves into a building at the University of Manchester to protest against having to pay high rents despite living in “appalling” conditions during the coronavirus pandemic.

The group, which calls itself UoM Rent Strike, are demanding a reduction to their rent and £9,000 tuition fees after in-person classes were halted and a number of issues with their accommodation came to light.

They have been occupying the OwensPark Tower and say they are adhering to coronavirus guidelines and have enough food and supplies to say in the building for at least a week.

Politics and sociology student Ben McGowan told the PA news agency that students have experienced “flooding to leaks and rat infestations” in their usual accommodation.

“Last week it reached a boiling point with the fences around campus – now we’re expected to pay rent for December when Government guidelines mean we won’t even be in uni halls for the whole of December,” he said.

A spokesperson for the University of Manchester said: “We are aware of the protest by a handful of students in an empty residential building.

“We have made it clear to them that they shouldn’t be there and that they may also be in contravention of current national Health Protection Regulations.

“We are already engaging with elected Students’ Union representatives about many of the issues being highlighted by the protesters. The University is fully committed to freedom of expression.”

Israel’s health minister has said the country will sign a provisional deal with US drugmaker Pfizer on Friday to receive eight million doses of the potential coronavirus vaccine in January.

The deal would provide vaccine doses for nearly half of the Israeli population, said minister Yuli Edelstein.

However, the vaccine is subject to approval by the US Food and Drug Administration and Israel’s Health Ministry, and is still in the experimental stages.

Mr Edelstein said in a statement on Thursday: “The supply would begin in January 2021, with the remainder arriving throughout the course of 2021.

Ireland’s deputy head of the government, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, has warned people not to book flights home to Ireland for Christmas.

With just six weeks to go before the festive holidays, he told the Dail it is “too soon” to book flights back to Ireland.

“I think in terms of people booking flights to come home for Christmas, I’d advise them not to do that at the moment,” said Mr Varadkar.

“I know that’s difficult, I know that’s tough, but Christmas is six weeks away and it’s too soon now to be booking flights to come home.

“We’re not in a position at this point to advise people that’s safe to come home for Christmas and I know that’s a tough message.”

One in four deaths in France is linked to COVID-19, according to the prime minister.

There are more virus patients in French hospitals than during the country’s peak in the spring, says Prime Minister Jean Castex. He warned people shouldn’t plan big Christmas or New Year’s parties.

Restaurants, bars, gyms and tourist sites will remain closed until at least 1 December.

France has 1.9 million confirmed cases, more infections than any European country, and 42,960 virus-related deaths.

A Russian journalist has reportedly been fined for satirising the Russian Orthodox Church over its “failure to take safety measures” against Covid-19.

Coronavirus UK deaths rise by 563 as cases spike to highest daily figure ever recorded

The UK’s coronavirus death toll has risen by 563 across a 24 hour period – while the number of fatalities has spiked to the highest number ever recorded by the Department for Health and Social Care.

Somewhat unusually, the Department of Health and Social Care has issued a statement on the latest coronavirus figures after cases rose to a significant high.

A spokesperson said: “As we have seen throughout this pandemic, there can be daily fluctuations in data so it is important to avoid drawing conclusions from one day’s figures.

“We must instead focus on the wider trend which is increasing, particularly in those at highest risk of disease.

“There was a rise in infections prior to national restrictions being brought in place and it is vital everyone continues to follow the guidance and takes care to wash hands, wear face coverings and reduce social contact – all of which proved to be highly effective in bringing down transmission rates earlier this year.”

A new mutation of coronavirus that has spread from minks to humans should not pose a threat to the success of a vaccine, the United States’ top infectious disease official has said.

Over in the US a second key member of Donald Trump’s legal team has tested positive for Covid-19, according to reports.