If the past is a foreign country, then the future for China’s Communist Party is the city of Shenzhen.

Hailed by President Xi during a visit this week as a model for the rest of the nation to aspire to, what was a sleepy fishing village only two generations ago is now a high-tech metropolis whose rise over its troublesome neighbour Hong Kong has been blessed at the highest level.

It revealed Belgium had the worst mortality rate (86.8), followed by Spain (65), the UK (62.6) and the US (60.3). For comparison, South Korea’s stood at just 0.7 – 85 times smaller than that of Britain or America. 

But when statistics for every country in the world is taken into account, Belgium falls to being the third worst-hit nation. The tiny European state of San Marino claims the grim accolade, followed by Peru and then Belgium.

It is the third club this week to be shut down, AAP reports.

Tim Wilson, a federal Australian government MP, says he doesn’t see any problem with news that 17 New Zealanders have made it to locked down city of Melbourne. The New Zealanders travelled to Sydney under a new travel bubble arrangement, allowing them to travel without quarantine. But the travel bubble does not extend to Victoria and the state is not taking international travellers.

Education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer had earlier said the “despicable assassination” was an attack on the French nation.

“I think tonight of him, of his family,” he tweeted. “Our unity and steadfastness are the only answers to the monstrosity of Islamist terrorism.”

The attacker was claimed to have posted material showing the remains of the teacher on social media before he was killed.

Macron travelled to the school on Friday night to speak with staff following the day’s horror.