this afternoon, belgium says it has identified the first case of the new variant in europe the eu proposes to suspend flights from any countries with cases. it is now important that all of us in europe act very swiftly, decisively and united. elsewhere, the french president says the uk isn t serious about tackling the migrant crisis this after borisjohnson suggested france should take back people who cross the channel to the dover. who cross the channel to the dover. a 12 year old girl has died after an argument in liverpool city centre four teenage boys have been arrested on suspicion of murder. mps will vote on plans that will see better support for people in england with down s syndrome in what could become the first law of its kind in the world. shoppers are expected to splurge nearly £9 billion on what could be britain s biggest black friday yet.
worldwide within a few months. it is now important that all of us in europe act very swiftly, decisively and united. the european commission has today proposed to member states to activate the emergency brake on travel from countries in southern africa and other countries affected to limit the spread of the new variant. all air travel to these countries should be suspended. they should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant. travellers returning from this region should respect strict quarantine rules. well, that s the view from the european union. next, to our africa correspondent, pumza fihlani talking about the reaction injohannesburg to the new travel restrctions. the immediate reaction from the south african government and scientists
brake on travel to southern africa and other countries affected by the mutation to limit the spread of the virus. we are taking on the news about the new highly mutated variant of covid i9 very seriously. we know mutations could lead to the emergence and spread of even more concerning variants of the virus that could spread worldwide within a few months. it is now important that all others in europe act very swiftly, decisively and united. the european commission has today proposed to member states to activate the emergency brake on travel from countries in the southern africa and other countries affected to limit the spread of the new variant. all air travel to these countries should be suspended. they should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant.
in europe act very swiftly, decisively and united. the european commission has today proposed to member states to activate the emergency brake on travel from countries in southern africa and other countries affected to limit the spread of the new variant. all air travel to these countries should be suspended. they should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant. travellers returning from this region should respect strict quarantine rules. i m joined now by calum semple, professor in child heath and outbreak medicine at the university of liverpool. given that viruses mutate, how given that viruses mutate, how concerning is that, as far as you
of the mutations that we re seeing today, and the effects that it may have on both the immune response and transmissibility that are a huge concern. with belgian recording europe s first case of the omicron variant, the european commission in brussels called for a suspension of air travel to affected african countries. we do know that mutations could lead to the emergence and spread of even more concerning variants of the virus that could spread worldwide within a few months. it is now important that all of us in europe act very swiftly, decisively and united. vaccine companies say they can prepare updated versions of theirjabs, perhaps within 100 days, if the omicron variant is found to evade immunity. fergus walsh, bbc news. as we ve just been hearing,