Millions of people are facing travel disruption and increased Covid restrictions over Christmas, as the surging Omicron variant sees safety curbs tightened and flights cancelled.
Italy, Spain and Greece have made face masks compulsory outdoors again.
Catalonia, in northern Spain, has imposed an overnight curfew, and the Netherlands is in a strict lockdown.
Despite early findings that Omicron is milder than other variants, scientists are concerned by the number of cases.
Record infections were tallied in the UK, France and Italy on Thursday.
Meanwhile in the US, daily Omicron cases have risen beyond the peak of the recent Delta wave, and hospitals are filling up across the country.
Taiwan National Day Celebration
