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 EUROPE
* Europe's healthcare systems are being strained once again by the
rapid spread of Omicron over the holiday period, with large numbers
of key staff ill or self-isolating and experts predicting the peak
of infections has yet to come.
* Britain's prime minister is looking at cutting isolation periods
to five days, while the country put its biggest private health firms
on high alert to deliver crucial treatments such as cancer surgery
should Omicron overwhelm public hospitals.
* Spain's prime minister said it may be time to track the pandemic
differently as COVID-19 has become less lethal.
* French politician Stephane Claireaux, a member of President
Emmanuel Macron's ruling party, said he had been attacked over the
weekend by protesters demonstrating against France's vaccine pass.
AMERICAS
* The head of Brazil's health regulator Anvisa has asked President
Jair Bolsonaro to retract statements criticising the agency for
authorising the vaccination of children.
* Mexico hit a record for daily infections over the weekend and its
official death toll rose to 300,334 on Sunday, while Brazil's
climbed to 619,981.
* Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pushing ahead with a
vaccine mandate for international truckers despite increasing
pressure from critics who say it will exacerbate driver shortages
and drive up the price of goods imported from the United States.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* India began administering vaccine boosters to front-line workers
and vulnerable elderly people, as Omicron fuelled an almost
eight-fold rise in daily cases over the past 10 days.
* India said only 5%-10% of active COVID-19 patients have needed
hospitalisation this time around compared with 20%-23% in the wave
that peaked in May.
* The Philippines reported 33,169 new cases, marking the third
straight day of record-high infections.
* The Chinese city of Tianjin tightened exit controls and is
requiring residents to obtain approval from employers or community
authorities before leaving town to block the spread of Omicron.
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 * World tennis number one Novak
Djokovic was released from immigration detention
after winning a court challenge to remain in
Australia to pursue his bid for a record 21st
Grand Slam title as cases in the country passed
1 million.
* Hong Kong's first 2022 legislature meeting may
have to be held online after more than 30
officials and lawmakers were quarantined
following infections at a birthday party.
AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
* Cape Verde's soccer team beat 10-man Ethiopia
on the opening day of the Africa Cup of Nations
after starting the match with their coach in
quarantine, nine players self-isolating and two
injured.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* High levels of T-cells from common cold coronaviruses can provide
protection against COVID-19, a study found, which could inform
approaches for second-generation vaccines.
* People self-testing should swab their throat as well as their nose
when using rapid antigen kits to increase the chances of detecting
the Omicron variant, a top Israeli health official said.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Stock markets struggled on Monday as U.S. Treasury yields reached
a new two-year high and investors fretted about the prospect of
rising interest rates and a surge in COVID-19 infections. [MKTS/GLOB]
* Oil lost more ground as rapidly climbing cases of the Omicron
variant hit economic activity, although losses were limited by
supply disruptions in Kazakhstan and Libya.
(Compiled by Sarah Morland and Shailesh Kuber; Editing by David
Clarke)
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