Monday Briefing: Japan and Israel bar foreigners as WHO flags global risk from Omicron

The Reuters Daily Briefing Monday, November 29, 2021 by Linda Noakes Sponsored by   Hello Here's what you need to know. Scientists ask whether Omicron can outrun Delta, stocks rebound as calm returns, and Taiwan's friends aid a secretive submarine project Today's biggest stories Travelers walk towards the COVID-19 testing area at Ben Gurion International Airport as Israel imposes new restrictions, November 28, 2021. REUTERS/Amir Cohen COVID-19 The Omicron variant of coronavirus carries a "very high" global risk of surges, the WHO warned, as more countries reported cases, prompting border closures and reviving worries about the economic recovery from a two-year pandemic. As scientists ask whether Omicron can outrun the Delta variant, one top infectious disease expert said existing COVID-19 vaccines are probably effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalization. Singapore and Malaysia reopened one of the world's busiest land borders, allowing vaccinated travelers to cross, but there were concerns the border might be closed again due to the new variant. Australia said it would delay the reopening of its international border by two weeks after reporting its first cases of the variant. As Scotland reported six cases of Omicron, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was unlikely but not impossible that they were linked to the COP26 conference held earlier this month in Glasgow. Read our factbox on the global spread of Omicron cases and associated travel curbs. FILE PHOTO: The Hai Lung SS-793 diesel-electric submarine emerges from underwater during a drill near Yilan naval base, Taiwan, April 13, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu WORLD With China under President Xi Jinping stepping up its military intimidation of Taiwan, the island’s pursuit of a potent undersea deterrent is becoming a reality. Read our special report. Honduran presidential candidate Xiomara Castro headed for a landslide win, declaring victory as supporters danced outside her offices to celebrate the left's return to power 12 years after her husband was ousted in a coup. Russia will continue slowing down the speed of Twitter on mobile devices until all content deemed illegal is deleted, state communications regulator Roskomnadzor told Reuters, as Moscow continues to make demands of Big Tech. Sunderland in northeast England became known as 'Brexit city' when it was the first region to fall to the 'Leave' side in the 2016 referendum. Now it could become Prime Minister Boris Johnson's talisman again for a policy at the heart of his strategy to stay in power - tackling inequalities between the affluent southeast of England and former industrial areas of the north. Botswana's Court of Appeal upheld a 2019 ruling that decriminalized gay sex, a decision hailed by gay community as establishing the southern African country as a "true democracy". U.S. Opening statements in the Ghislaine Maxwell sex abuse case are expected to begin, as prosecutors try to convince a jury that the British socialite recruited and groomed girls for the late financier Jeffrey Epstein to abuse. We explain who the major players are in the trial. Amid a major legal fight now before the U.S. Supreme Court that could shape the future of American abortion rights, we visited a lone Mississippi clinic on the front line of the battle. Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense for withholding parts of a memoir about the time he spent in the administration of Donald Trump. House Representative Adam Schiff said that the committee investigating the deadly January 6 Capitol riot would likely decide this week whether to refer former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows for criminal contempt charges for refusing to testify. K-Pop sensation BTS are playing their first in-person concerts since the onset of the pandemic, and legions of die-hard fans have descended on Los Angeles to see their idols in the flesh. BUSINESS A semblance of calm returned to world markets as investors waited for more details to assess the severity of the Omicron coronavirus variant on the world economy, allowing battered stock markets and oil prices to recover. U.S. tech giants should bear some of the costs of developing Europe's telecoms networks because they use them so heavily, chief executives of Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and 11 other major European telecoms companies said. The call comes as the telecoms industry faces massive investments for 5G, fiber and cable networks to cope with data and cloud services provided by Netflix, YouTube and Facebook. Nissan announced it will spend $17.6 billion over five years to accelerate vehicle electrification to catch up with competitors in one of the fastest growth areas for car makers. BP said it plans to set up a large-scale green hydrogen production plant in northeast England, generated with wind, water and solar energy to aid Britain's move away from fossil fuels. A dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways over paint and surface flaws on A350 jets stretches beyond the Gulf, with at least five other airlines raising concerns since the high-tech model entered service, according to documents seen by Reuters and several people with direct knowledge of the matter. Quote of the day "If Iran thinks it can use this time to build more leverage and then come back and say they want something better, it simply won't work" Robert Malley U.S. envoy West asks whether Iran is serious or stalling as talks set to resume Video of the day Making it stick: wind challenges snow makers at Olympic Games site Competition snow requires a higher density than recreational snow to meet the requirements of professional skiing's governing body, and to ensure conditions are consistent for each competitor. And finally… Prince Charles travels to Barbados to celebrate the creation of a republic The Caribbean nation is cutting imperial ties some 400 years after English ships first arrived. Sponsored by Toshiba A Carbon Neutral Future As the world shifts to renewable energy sources to reduce CO2 emissions, Toshiba's technologies can help create a carbon neutral society. Click here for more More from Reuters COVID-19 The Great Reboot Disrupted Legal News Breakingviews Thanks for spending part of your day with us. Share your thoughts You are receiving this email because you signed up for newsletters from Reuters. No longer want to hear from us? Unsubscribe from The Reuters Daily Briefing. Terms, conditions, and privacy statement © 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036