Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
Pandemic Christmas 2
The world rings in a second pandemic Christmas - and a third since the first outbreak in China - as the fast-spreading Omicron virus brings the prospect of yet more COVID restrictions.
New UK Record
The United Kingdom announces a new record number of 122,186 new virus cases in the last 24 hours, fuelled by the Omicron variant.
US Africa Travel Ban
The United States will next week lift the travel ban imposed on several southern African nations where the Omicron variant was first detected, officials say.
Fourth Jab In Chile
Chile will offer its citizens a fourth coronavirus vaccine dose from February, starting with high-risk categories, President Sebastian Pinera announces.
Morocco Flight Ban
Morocco extends a halt on international passenger flights until the end of January as it tries to rein in surging cases of Omicron.
Orthodox Leader Positive
The spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew I, 81, is in "good" condition after testing positive for the coronavirus, his office says.
Guadeloupe Protests
Protesters in Guadeloupe occupy the local legislature in the French Caribbean overseas territory, in a new flare-up of a standoff with Paris sparked by COVID rules.
More Than 5.3 Million Dead
The coronavirus has killed at least 5,385,564 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally Friday from official sources compiled by AFP.
Record numbers of new infections since the start of the pandemic have been passed this week so far in the UK, Denmark, Spain, France, Canada, Finland, Australia, Kenya, Malta, South Sudan, Iceland and Monaco.
Taking into account excess mortality linked to COVID-19, the World Health Organization estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.