Most of Germany imposes $59 fine for mask-wearing breaches

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel says most of her country’s states have agreed to impose a minimum fine of 50 euros ($59) for breaching mask-wearing rules as coronavirus infections rise again. Officials also agreed to extend a ban on big events until the end of December. Merkel consulted Thursday with the country’s 16 state governors on how to streamline further measures to fight coronavirus because many states have different rules.  She also appealed to Germans not to travel to countries and regions deemed “risk areas” — currently the United States and most of the world outside the European Union, as well as some regions inside the EU.