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.

India's federal government wants to deport Myanmar nationals entering the country after the military coup there, but the northeastern state of Mizoram wants political asylum for them.

The Muslim minority group are requesting $150 billion in damages for the role the social media giant played in facilitating a campaign of genocide against them.

The Indian Air Force confirmed that the country's military chief of defense staff, Bipin Rawat, was aboard a helicopter that crashed in the south of the country.

DW's Biresh Banerjee spoke to Nalin Kohli, spokesperson for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), about coronavirus-related Islamophobia in India and allegations that the Indian government is exploiting the crisis to ramp up suppression of Muslims.

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.

The Muslim community in India is often a target of misinformation spread by Hindu nationalists. The latest accusation is that Muslims are carrying out "rice jihad". We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Concerns are rising across Europe as a number of countries bring in additional measures to combat a surge in infections.

India was recently gripped by a controversy involving the family of one of its most famous actors, Shahrukh Khan. In October 2021, Khan's son was arrested for alleged narcotics consumption. But according to his lawyer, there was no evidence of any wrongdoing. Many Indians believe the arrest was in fact orchestrated by India's Hindu nationalist government as a way of targeting the actor. In recent years, the government has become increasingly hostile towards some members of the country's powerful film industry. Our correspondents report.

The shutdown was initiated over fears of the rapid spread of the omicron variant. Meanwhile, Germany's health minister has ruled out a lockdown before Christmas. Follow DW for the latest.

Across the continent, European governments are introducing restrictions such as limiting opening times for restaurants, pubs and venues.

The ambitious goal to fully vaccinate the entire adult population is proving difficult. People are not returning to receive their second dose, and motivating them poses complex challenges.