Lockdown: Funke Akindele and others facing prosecution

Protesters in the Solomon Islands called on the prime minister to resign as riots took place for a second day. Australia said it would send a peacekeeping force to the Pacific nation seized by inter-island tension.

The UN health body has given the new variant a name and said it is a variant of concern. The WHO urged against hasty travel curbs while it gathers more data.

Germany, the Czech Republic and the UK are the latest countries to confirm cases of the omicron variant. The new strain that was first detected in South Africa has prompted governments around the world to re-introduce travel restrictions.

International travel picked up over the summer, but Covid-19 is still expected to cost the global tourism industry some €1.8 trillion in 2021. Also, French finance minister Bruno Le Maire remains optimistic about the recovery despite concerns over the Omicron variant, and farmers in India continue their protest movement despite concessions from the government.

The vaccine-maker's CEO says existing COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to be as effective against omicron. Meanwhile, Japan detected its first case of the variant. Follow DW for the latest.

No three-piece suits, no dress shoes, no ties. Instead, Germany's new leaders appear in sneakers and unbuttoned shirts. A change in style that also symbolizes a new attitude.

It was the first vaccine to be approved, and as the Russian jab is rolled out globally, it's providing welcome relief to countries such as India. But the low-cost inoculation is more of a prestige project for the Kremlin than an altruistic endeavour.

It was Europe's first coronavirus hot spot. Now, Italy already has one of the strictest anti-infection regimes in the world. And with case numbers rising again, the country is barring unvaccinated citizens from much of public life.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised on Wednesday for a video showing his staffers joking about reports of a party in Downing Street during the COVID lockdown, saying he was furious but that he had been assured there was no party.

Dresden's famous christmas market, the Striezelmarkt, has been around for centuries. This year, the planned opening was canceled due to the high incidence rate of coronavirus infections in the state of Saxony.

France is home to some of the biggest luxury brands in the world. While many everyday businesses have struggled to bounce back from the health crisis, it’s been just the opposite for the most exclusive French labels. Jean-Noël Kapferer, professor emeritus of marketing, talks us through the success of luxury brands bouncing back from the pandemic. We also see how the luxury sector is making its way into the second-hand market, bringing in a whole new clientele.

After being on hold for months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, French archaeological missions are back in Egypt, where many treasures are waiting to be discovered. Exploring the city of Luxor is a dream for many archaeologists, who each day hope their painstaking work will yield fresh treasures. A few kilometres from the Valley of the Kings, Isabelle Régen and her team are studying one of the most fascinating tombs discovered in the country. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Olivia Bizot.