New COVID variant Omicron: Israel mulls more entry restrictions * How dangerous is it? * When the cantor prayed for Israeli soldiers... in Morocco * Stephen Sondheim dies

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Saturday, November 27, 2021 [After Omicron found, Israel mulls new airport rules; Switzerland bars most Israelis]( By [TOI staff]( [World scrambles to respond to new concerning variant; Bennett reportedly wants to close Israel to all foreigners, most ministers opposed]( [Explainer / Omicron is the most mutated version of virus yet, but is it the most dangerous?]( By [Maria Cheng]( [BioNtech says it needs 2 weeks to determine vaccine’s effectiveness against Omicron]( By [TOI staff]( [S. African expert downplays threat from Omicron: ‘We won’t have a severe epidemic’]( By [TOI staff]( [Virologist Barry Schoub, who advises the government, says data so far indicates vaccines protect against severe illness from new COVID variant]( [US, European, Arab nations restrict travel from African countries over Omicron]( By [AFP]( [It has a name: New COVID variant causing global alarm dubbed ‘Omicron’]( By [Agencies and TOI staff]( [WHO designates strain as ‘a highly transmissible variant of concern,’ giving it Greek letter like previous major variants such as Delta, as scientists race to understand risks]( [World races to contain new COVID threat, the Omicron variant]( By [Raf Casert and Calvin Woodward]( [Omicron variant poses ‘high to very high’ risk to Europe — EU health agency]( By [AFP]( Obituary [Stephen Sondheim, a giant of American musical theater, dies at 91]( By [Mark Kennedy]( [Born to a NY Jewish family, composer is credited with pushing the musical into a darker, richer and more intellectual place with works like ‘Company,’ ‘Follies’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’]( Reporter's notebook [Judah Ari Gross]( [Hearing the cantor sing the prayer for IDF soldiers… in Morocco]( [It’s easy, and not entirely wrong, to be cynical about Jerusalem’s newfound ties with Rabat. But there’s something earnest about them, owing to a deep cultural connection]( [2 US defense officials say Israel hacked Iran’s gas system last month — NYT]( By [TOI staff]( [Cyber assault on Iranian fuel system was followed by hack of Israeli LGBTQ dating site, pointing to new trend of attacks against soft targets, New York Times reports]( [Ex-IDF intel chief: In a revived nuke deal, Iran will be much closer to bomb]( By [TOI staff]( [Amos Yadlin blasts former Netanyahu gov’t for pushing Trump to leave JCPOA, without drawing up plan for what Israel would do if Tehran advanced enrichment in retaliation]( [Iran accuses UN nuclear watchdog of ‘discrimination,’ bowing to West’s pressure]( By [AFP and TOI staff]( [UK officially bans Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist group]( By [Agencies and TOI staff]( [In move announced last week and hailed by Israel, Britain says members of Hamas or those who support it could be jailed for up to 14 years]( Top Ops [Joshua Hammerman]( [How a menorah may bring about a ‘Christian nation’]( [The cardinal American principle of separating religion and state was sacrificed on the altar of a good photo-op, and no one cared]( [Sam Lehman-Wilzig]( [The future of non-work is the robot and AI economy]( [A bleak outlook for an Israel in which workers are less willing to take on unsatisfying jobs and employers invest more in replacing them]( Interview [Before the airlifts, Ethiopian Jews did the heavy lifting to get out of Africa]( By [Rich Tenorio]( [Documentary ‘With No Land,’ featured at the Other Israel Film Festival earlier this month, puts long-overdue focus on the resilient immigrant community rather than its ‘saviors’]( [CRM]( [Moderna says it will develop booster shot for new COVID variant]( By [TOI staff]( [Pharmaceutical company says it is also examining using a higher dose of its existing vaccine against Omicron]( [Germany, Czech Republic find first suspected cases of Omicron variant]( By [AFP and TOI staff]( [Anti-COVID pill effective in treating virus, FDA panel’s report finds]( By [AFP]( [South African scientists brace for illness wave propelled by Omicron variant]( By [ANDREW MELDRUM]( [With younger people increasingly coming in for treatment with more serious cases of COVID, doctors fear health systems could become overwhelmed]( [South Africa calls travel bans over new Omicron variant ‘draconian, unjustified’]( By [Susan NJANJI]( [US stocks sink on new COVID variant; Dow loses 950 points]( By [Ken Sweet and PAUL WISEMAN]( Interview [Gold medalist Linoy Ashram on her Olympic whirlwind and becoming an Israeli icon]( By [Emily Burack]( [Ever the picture of humility, the elite athlete says she was hoping to achieve bronze — but is proud to show off her Sephardic roots in a sport dominated by Eastern Europeans]( [CRM]( [With court to debate controversial Jerusalem cable car, ministry voices opposition]( By [TOI staff]( [Transportation Ministry says harm from controversial project will outweigh any benefits]( [Ukraine’s Zelensky alleges Russia, top oligarch plotting coup planned for next week]( By [YURAS KARMANAU]( [Biden expresses concern and support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, plans to talks to leaders; Moscow denies accusation that comes amid troop buildup on border]( [NATO chief warns Russia of ‘costs’ if it moves on Ukraine]( By [LORNE COOK]( [Jewish doctor who loves The Beatles created America’s only museum devoted to them]( By [Bruce Lowitt]( [Bobby Entel started collecting band memorabilia in his 20s, says his collection on display in Dunedin, Florida is ‘a very fulfilling hobby and a labor of love’]( More Headlines [Hamas urges Hebron unrest in reaction to Israeli president’s planned Hanukkah visit]( By [TOI staff]( [Minister says Bennett not ‘fulfilling his potential’ as leader of change government]( By [TOI staff]( [Israelis spend $220 million within 6 hours on Black Friday]( By [TOI staff and Agencies]( [In dig at US, Iranian militia unveils George Floyd video game]( By [AFP]( [As unrest in West Bank’s Jenin rises, governor vows to restore order]( By [Aaron Boxerman]( [Police fire tear gas at Iranians protesting water shortages in city of Isfahan]( By [AP]( [Palestinian child seriously hurt in West Bank car crash, taken to Israeli hospital]( By [TOI staff]( [Massachusetts lawmakers vote to require genocide education in high schools]( By [Penny Schwartz]( [The daily edition]() [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? 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