Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Friday that Israel is “on the threshold of an emergency situation” after authorities detected the country’s first case of a new coronavirus variant and barred travel to and from most African countries.

The Health Ministry said it detected the new strain in a traveler who had returned from Malawi and was investigating two other suspected cases. The three individuals, who had all been vaccinated, were placed in isolation.

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Europe recorded its first case of the fast-spreading new coronavirus variant and dozens of countries restricted travel to and from southern Africa—where it was first detected—amid concerns that it could be more contagious than previous strains and render Covid-19 vaccines less effective.

Belgian authorities said Friday that one case of the variant had been recorded in the country. The person had traveled from abroad, was unvaccinated and hadn’t been infected with Covid-19 previously, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said.

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BIDEN CONSIDERING TRAVEL BANS? White House officials have been discussing imposing travel restrictions on countries in southern Africa, and are expected to meet with agency officials this afternoon to make a recommendation.

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QUESTIONS ARISE IF VAAX EFFECTIVE ON NEW STRAIN: BioNTech is studying the new COVID-19 variant that emerged in South Africa and said it will know in two weeks if the vaccine it developed with Pfizer is effective against it, The Financial Times reported.

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JUST IN: Dow Jones sees biggest single-day drop this year due to concerns about the new COVID-19 variant - Fox News

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NEW: Israel to close borders to all foreigners, reinstate quarantine rules due to omicron COVID-19 variant - The Hill

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JUST IN: Australia to introduce legislation that would require social media companies to provide the government with the personal information of users who "attack" or "defame" others online - Reuters

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Mass shooting leaves 3 dead, 4 injured in Nashville apartment - https://breaking911.com/mass-shooting-leaves-3-dead-4-injured-in-nashville-apartment/

SHOCK VIDEO: Arizona police officer tazes man holding knife; man falls, stabbing himself in the neck - https://breaking911.com/shock-video-arizona-police-officer-tazes-man-holding-knife-man-falls-stabbing-himself-in-the-neck/

GRAPHIC

FAUCI: Don't rule out new lockdowns, "prepare for the worst"

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NYC HEIST! Trio behind elaborate ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ plot, Queens DA says - https://breaking911.com/nyc-heist-trio-behind-elaborate-oceans-eleven-plot-queens-da-says/

JUST IN: Phil Saviano, clergy sex abuse survivor who helped expose decades of assaults by Roman Catholic priests, has died at 69

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WATCH THIS! Egypt unveils renovated 3,000-year-old ‘Avenue of the Sphinxes’ in Luxor - https://breaking911.com/see-it-egypt-unveils-renovated-3000-year-old-avenue-of-the-sphinxes-in-luxor/

SCHIFF ON JAN. 6 PROBE: "It is certainly possible that what we reveal in our investigation will inform the Justice Department of other facts they may not be aware of yet.”

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Woman Accused Of Biting Deputy After Getting Kicked Out Of Florida Bar - https://breaking911.com/woman-accused-of-biting-deputy-after-getting-kicked-out-of-florida-bar/

The gang members kidnapped the student from his front lawn and cut his hand off before killing him. Luring another victim with the promise of sex with a female MS-13 associate, the gang members ambushed the teenaged victim and stabbed him 153 times. In fact, the victim did not belong to any gang. https://breaking911.com/two-ms-13-gang-members-convicted-in-maryland-for-racketeering-conspiracy-to-commit-several-brutal-murders/

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Video of Miami Airport Crew’s Discovery of Stowaway in Landing Gear - https://breaking911.com/video-of-miami-airport-crews-discovery-of-stowaway-in-landing-gear/

Dr. Fauci looks back on COVID-19 response, slams Republicans and says “I’m going to be saving lives.”

Full Interview: https://breaking911.com/full-interview-dr-fauci-looks-back-on-covid-19-response-slams-republicans-and-says-im-going-to-be-saving-lives/

Fmr. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb: "If you talk to people in vaccine circles, people who are working on a vaccine, they have a pretty good degree of confidence that a boosted vaccine, so three full doses of vaccine, is going to be fairly protective against this new variant."

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