As Britain recorded more than half a million new infections driven by the Covid-19 now dominant Omicron variant in the past seven days, and UK neighbors imposed stricter measures including full lockdowns, Prime Minister Boris Johnson following a Monday cabinet meeting said no rules would change for now, despite the steep rise in cases hour by hour.
French authorities are investigating the alleged existence of over 110,000 fake certificates of vaccination against COVID-19, which are required to enter restaurants, cultural venues or ride long-distance public transport.
The US space agency NASA is tracking two British explorers on a 3,650 kilometers journey across Antarctica to learn more about humanity's ability to survive on Mars. Explorers Justin Packshaw,57, and Jamie Facer Childs, 37 are on an 80-day trek across the southernmost continent as part of the Chasing the Light mission — a grueling expedition that could give a better understanding of the psychological and physical impact of other worlds on the human body and mind.
A prominent anti-vaccination protestor and brother of the former leader of the British Labour Party, Piers Corbyn was arrested in London over the weekend for urging people to burn down the offices of members of Parliament offices who supported imposing Covid-19 restrictions.
Ordinary citizens opposing anticovid measures and mandatory vaccination were mixed with neo-nazi groups and members of the far-right “identity movement” during Sunday's protests which garnered some 12,000 demonstrators in the German city of Nuremberg against the Governments sanitary decisions which compromise individual liberties.
The Government of The Netherlands has decreed a strict lockdown until January 14 on all non-essential activities due to the spread of the coronavirus Omicron variant. A daily cap of two visitors per household has also been decreed, which will be raised to four people for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
Britain’s new polar research vessel, Falklands' flagged RRS Sir David Attenborough, has travelled to Antarctica on its maiden voyage, with its first call on Friday at Rothera Research Station – the UK’s largest Antarctic research station on the continent.
US President Joseph Biden Thursday forecast a quick spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus throughout his country this winter and an ensuing outbreak of severe illness and death for the unvaccinated.
Argentina has announced one million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will be sent to Bolivia next Monday, making it “the largest donation of doses between countries in South America since the global pandemic was declared,” according to a Health Ministry statement. The doses will be carried in a Hercules C-130 aircraft of the Argentine Air Force.
Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) Thursday recommended children be vaccinated against COVID-19, despite President Jair Bolsonaro's stance against this type of immunization.