TOP HEADLINES

· A leading researcher from the Pandemics and Borders project says "it's too late" to implement border restrictions to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant. Karen Grepin is an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong, who has written a research paper on the effectiveness of border controls. She told CGTN Europe that unless a nation has consistently adopted strict quarantine measures of up to 14 days on all travelers in recent months, introducing them now will not contain the spread of the virus.

· The World Health Organization agrees with Grepin, saying blanket travel bans will not prevent the spread of the new variant but advised over-60s and the vulnerable to postpone travel.

· The Omicron variant was present in Europe before the first case was reported in South Africa, new data from the Netherlands has shown. Dutch authorities reported Omicron was found in two samples from November 19 and 23, with one patient having no recent travel history.

· The "quarantine couple" arrested by Dutch border control officers for attempting to board a flight to Spain when told to isolate will be released on Wednesday. Carolina Pimenta and Andres Sanz were kept in an airport hotel after 61 passengers on two KLM flights from South Africa tested positive. Their lawyer said they are free to go after prosecutors decided not to extend the isolation period.

· Germany's incoming chancellor Olaf Scholz wants parliament to vote on imposing mandatory coronavirus vaccinations by the end of the year. Scholz said they were necessary to contain the fourth wave of the pandemic and told Bild television making jabs compulsory is justified "to protect us all."

· France's Health Minister Olivier Veran has warned the situation in the country is worsening rapidly, with 47,000 new cases reported over the past 24 hours. Veran repeated his recent appeals to the public to get vaccinated in order to limit the number of hospitalizations and deaths. Although 75 percent of the population has received both doses, an estimated 6 million remain unvaccinated.

· The UK has set a two-month target to give booster jabs to all adults aged over 18, as it seeks to minimize the impact of the Omicron variant. At least 400 military personnel will be drafted in to help the National Health Service deliver the jabs as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised vaccine centers would be "popping up like Christmas trees."

FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES

CGTN Europe: In quotes: Europe reacts to the new COVID-19 variant

CGTN China: Chinese mainland records 41 confirmed COVID-19 cases

CGTN America: U.S. shoppers face "meatflation" following economy reopening

CGTN Africa: Morocco suspends incoming passenger flights over COVID-19 variant