TOP HEADLINES

· Omicron could become the dominant variant in Europe by next month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned, but added that the EU has enough vaccines to face the new wave of infections.

"If you look at the time it takes for new cases to double in number, it seems to be doubling every two or three days. And that's massive," she told the European Parliament.

"But over the last year, we've worked hard and we've achieved a great deal and that is why Europe is in a better position now to fight the virus," Von der Leyen added. 

· In Ireland, Omicron is likely to become the dominant variant by next week, according to Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. Omicron cases jumped from 14 percent of all infections this week from just 1 percent a week ago.

· Omicron is spreading "at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters, urging countries to do more to curb the spread of new infections connected to the new variant.

Despite the WHO previously providing some cautious optimism on the new variant and its severity, the body's expert Bruce Aylward warned against "jumping to a conclusion that this is a mild disease." Adding: "We could be setting ourselves up for a very dangerous situation."

· Germany will not allow "a tiny minority of uninhibited extremists to try to impose its will on the whole of society," said Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday as police launched raids against radicalized anti-vaccination groups.

Journalists from public broadcaster ZDF infiltrated an encrypted chat on Telegram last week involving a hundred people linked by their opposition to vaccines and reported on death threats made against Saxony's State Premier Michael Kretschmer, who has been a vocal supporter of national measures against the unvaccinated.

Police said on Twitter that authorities suspected "the preparation of a violent crime that threatens the state" after messages raised suspicion that the group might possess real weapons.

· Johnson & Johnson's vaccine can be used as a booster shot, said the EU regulator on Wednesday. It is the third jab approved by the European Medicines Agency for the administration of a third dose, to be used two months after the first dose of J&J or after receiving other mRNA shots such as those by Pfizer or Moderna.

· Poland has introduced new restrictions to fight the rising death toll in the country. The number of people allowed in restaurants, hotels and theaters is now limited to 30 percent of maximum capacity, a restriction that doesn't apply to people who have been fully vaccinated.

· Germany, Spain, Greece and Hungary are among the European countries that have started vaccinating children aged five to 11 on Wednesday, in an effort to keep schools open and limit the spread of the Omicron variant.

· Italy announced new travel restrictions for travelers coming from EU countries, who will have to show proof of a negative test before being granted access to the country.

Previously, EU arrivals had to show proof of vaccination, recent recovery or a negative test.

· Ukraine will extend restrictions for another three months until March 31, because of low vaccination rates in the country, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Wednesday.

"Until the level of vaccination in Ukraine reaches 70 percent of the population, we must adhere to all imposed restrictions," Shmyhal said at a televised government meeting.

· France expects to see around 4,000 patients in intensive care with COVID-19 by the Christmas holidays, said government spokesman Gabriel Attal.

· Workers aged over 65 in France who have not received a booster shot will be stripped of the vaccine passport, as the government reports that some 400,000 people aged 65 and over who are eligible for the booster shot have yet to take it.

· Google has told its staff in the U.S. they must be fully vaccinated by mid-January or risk being fired, unless employees can provide a valid exemption.

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