Borders Close as New COVID-19 Variant Spreads

Borders are closing once again with a new coronavirus variant on the loose. The U.S. is barring entry to most travelers from eight African countries after the Omicron strain was identified in South Africa. Japan, Israel, and Morocco have essentially imposed bans on foreign travelers completely. President Biden is urging all Americans to get vaccinated and boosted. In business news, a Black Friday dip. Online spending took a slight tumble this year, marking the first time that Black Friday sales decreased from the previous year. In politics, the GOP courtship of anti-vaxxers continues. Republican state officials across the country are getting creative with unemployment benefits as the party looks to rally their base ahead of the midterms. In a Manhattan courtroom Monday, Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial officially got underway. The British socialite faces six criminal charges for recruiting, grooming, and exploiting underage girls for sexual abuse with longtime companion Jeffrey Epstein.