TOP HEADLINES

· London's Metropolitan Police says it is investigating a "number of events" in Downing Street and Whitehall during the pandemic amid claims of COVID-19 regulations being broken, right at the center of the UK's government. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick told the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee: "As a result firstly of information provided by the Cabinet Office inquiry team and secondly my officers' own assessment, I can confirm that the Met is now investigating a number of events that took place at Downing Street and Whitehall in the last two years in relation to potential breaches of COVID-19 regulations," she said. This is the latest revelation in a series of alleged parties and social gatherings held at Downing Street when the rest of the country was ordered to obey strict coronavirus restrictions. 

· Pfizer and BioNTech have begun enrolment for a clinical trial to test the safety and immune response of their Omicron-specified vaccine in adults aged up to 55, the companies have said in a statement. Earlier in January, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said an Omicron vaccine would be ready for regulatory approval in March, and the company is already in the process of manufacturing doses. 

· The Netherlands is expected to announce later today that it will allow restaurants, bars and theaters to re-open, despite a record number of coronavirus infections. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Health Minister Ernst Kuipers are expected to announce the new rules at a news conference in the evening. 

· French health minister Olivier Veran told French television channel LCI TV that he hoped the country would reach the peak of the current wave in the next few days. During the past 24 hours, almost 400 people were hospitalized or died due to a coronavirus infection, which is the highest figure since April. 

· Czechia recorded 30,350 new cases on Monday, the European country's highest daily count since the pandemic began, data showed. The nation's health minister said the country is bracing for a surge in cases from the new Omicron variant, which could peak this month. 

· Norway says it will end its system of mandatory quarantines for non-vaccinated travelers and close contacts of infected people, replacing it with a daily test regime. 

· The European Union's drug regulator is to decide whether to approve Pfizer's pill at the end of this month, before doing a final review of Merck's drug in February. 

· Italy has said that the Omicron wave had peaked in the country, as case numbers begin to fall. 

FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES

CGTN Europe: Boris Johnson birthday party took place during lockdown

CGTN China: China's consumption shook off the slump from COVID-19 in 2021: MOFCOM

CGTN America: U.S. sees growth in COVID-19 deaths despite declines in cases, hospitalizations

CGTN Africa: Africa's COVID-19 cases top 10.5 million mark