First Thing: US could face ‘fifth wave’ of Covid as Omicron spreads

Israel seals borders and Morocco bans flights as new variant fears rise. Plus, tributes pour in for fashion maverick Virgil Abloh

Good morning.

Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, said on Sunday the US has the potential to go into a fifth wave" of coronavirus infections amid rising cases and stagnating vaccination rates.

How are other countries reacting to the spread of Omicron? Israel is barring entry to all foreign nationals and Morocco is suspending all incoming flights for two weeks. Many countries, including Brazil, Canada, European Union states, Iran and the UK, have placed restrictions on travel from various southern African countries.

Epstein, a convicted paedophile, killed himself in a Manhattan federal jail in August 2019, while awaiting trial. Maxwell's alleged crimes took place from 1994 to 2004, prosecutors have said.

Authorities arrested the Briton, the daughter of the late press baron Robert Maxwell, on 2 July 2020 at an estate in the small New Hampshire town of Bradford.

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against her and is expected to challenge claims she groomed underage girls.